Scrap Metal Pickup by Material
Scrap yards pay by weight and grade. Most household metal is low-grade steel worth a few cents a pound, and the copper is where the real money is. That gap decides whether hauling it yourself is worth the trip.
Grills, Bikes and Backyard Steel
Gas grills, bike frames, swing set and trampoline tubing, metal patio furniture and old lawn mower decks all sell as light iron. At about 8 cents a pound, a 150-pound pile is worth roughly $12 at the yard. The value is small. The bulk is what makes it a chore. Take the propane cylinder off the grill before pickup. An empty one can go back to a propane retailer.
Washers, Dryers and Water Heaters
Washers, dryers, stoves and water heaters are mostly steel, and national cost guides say that scrap value can bring an appliance haul price down. Refrigerators, freezers and window AC units are different, because the refrigerant has to be recovered before the metal is scrapped. Refrigerator removal covers those. For appliances that are still hooked up, see appliance removal.
Copper, Aluminum and Wire
Copper pipe, copper wire and aluminum siding or gutters are worth far more per pound than steel. Tennessee adds conditions, though. A private seller of copper is paid by check mailed to the address on their driver license, or by a voucher that can't be cashed for five days. Old outdoor AC condensers and evaporator coils can only be sold for scrap by an HVAC contractor's staff, so a homeowner's old condenser goes out as junk. Nobody can buy it from you as scrap.
Shelving, Racking and Metal Furniture
Steel shelving units, filing cabinets, bed frames, metal desks and chain-link fence break down flat and stack well on a truck. Businesses clearing warehouse racking can see commercial junk removal.
Why Clarksville homeowners call Clarksville Junk Haulers
- Your request goes to one local hauler, not a call list
- Ask for the all-in price before anything is loaded
- Free to call; you pay only the hauler, for the job you agree to
- Tell us about stairs, heavy items or a deadline up front
What a Scrap Metal Pickup Costs
Angi notes that scrap metal still comes with hauling fees, because loading it and driving it to the yard take a crew and a truck. It also says an appliance with valuable scrap metal can cost less to remove. HireAHelper says the same about metal items a hauler can recycle, and HomeGuide lists scrap returns as one of the things that move a junk quote. So an all-steel pile of grill frames and shelving can fairly quote lower than the same volume of mixed household junk. Copper works differently. At close to $5 a pound for clean wire, a few boxes of it are worth selling yourself before the truck comes.
Scrap Metal Pickup vs. Hauling It to the Yard Yourself
ID and thumbprint
Tennessee scrap dealers can't buy without a state or federal photo ID and a thumbprint, and they record your license plate and vehicle.Age limit
Dealers can't buy scrap from anyone under 18.Registered dealers only
The state Department of Commerce and Insurance registers scrap dealers and has a license lookup on its site.Tires aren't scrap
Tires go to a county tire site, not a metal yard. See tire disposal.Do the math
300 pounds of light iron is worth about $25. If that takes a borrowed trailer and half a Saturday, a pickup bundled with the rest of your junk usually makes more sense.
See garage cleanouts when the metal is buried under everything else in the garage.