Hot temperatures control your day when you’re hauling materials around the DFW Metroplex. When the weather soars into the triple digits, the outdoor work environment drastically changes: Materials behave differently in a stockpile, trucks struggle with maxed-out payload weights, and lifting heavy junk requires significantly more physical effort.
For weekend scrappers, weekend warriors working on a large-scale home renovation, or DIY renovators tackling a garage full of construction waste, excess heat creates external factors that influence both worker safety and your bottom line at the scale. Failure to adapt to seasonal changes could result in degraded commodities, broken-down vehicles, or severe heat exhaustion.
Learning to properly manage a summer cleanout when the weather is affecting the physical properties of your raw materials can turn an arduous task into one of the most profitable scrap recycling projects of the year.
Amassing copper, brass, and aluminum wires during an interior remodeling project demands forethought when temperatures rise. Direct sunlight and oppressive humidity accelerate top-layer transformations. Not only do the aesthetic properties of metal turn a bleak shade of brown when left outside for too long, but the added stress of loading bulky iron machinery or sorting jagged sheet metal bundles under a hot sun demands rigorous alterations to your standard workload.
Approaching your pile with a defined plan to separate valuable commodities, maintain surface quality, and time your trips to the yard will allow self-employed recyclers to increase their profit take while staying safe in the summer heat.
How Hot Weather Affects Common Scrap Metals
Sun exposure and humid conditions speed up the natural oxidation processes occurring on various commodity types. Although a stack of heavy structural steel won’t tarnish overnight, non-ferrous metals like copper, aluminum, and even tin have visible reactions to extreme weather. Copper ore, one of the highest priced commodities at the scale, oxidizes quickly when exposed to direct sunlight and moisture. Unused copper piping that starts to oxidize will turn brown or green if stored outside in the heat. Rust, dirt, and deteriorated material appearances can downgrade your product from a top-tier clean category to a second-grade pay rate.
Unlike ferrous metals, aluminum is susceptible to white rusting or oxidation of the metal pores. Liquid water and solar rays leave a chalky residue on the surface of aluminum scrap. Surface oxidation is allowed on most commodities, but excessive rusting adds unnecessary weight to your load and can cause thin-gauge aluminum cans to become brittle and less dense.
Ferrous metals experience some of the most detrimental reactions to the elements. Rust — iron oxide — develops an aggressive reaction to extreme heat and moisture. Leaving a bag full of steel kitchen cabinets or clean metal roofing in an open yard will produce a pile full of rust weeks down the road. Too much surface degradation can literally cause the iron to flake away, losing you money on the weight of your total load and potentially downgrading your material if the scale staff deems it unsalvageable.
Storing & Prepping Scrap Metal for Summer
Covering your assets and maintaining your material’s resale value requires tactics to beat the summer heat. Hoarding copper wire, old refrigerators, and non-branded stainless steel appliances in a pile behind your home exposes your commodities to weather-related damage and theft. Preparing your scrap metal for haul day doesn’t take nearly as much effort with these organizing tips.
Storing all precut metal commodities in a cool, dry place is the best way to ensure maximum payout on your salvage. Piling copper wires, broken-down appliances, or cleaned aluminum wheels in the corner of an empty garage or shaded workshop protects your commodities from ultraviolet rays and rainwater. If indoor storage is limited, covering your load with a reflective tarp is the next best solution. Light-colored tarp material bounces solar radiation away from your items and provides a barrier between your goods and inclement weather.
Different metals should never be placed in direct contact with each other, especially if your materials can’t be indoors. Galvanic corrosion occurs when two distinct metals connect in the presence of an electrolyte like water. Rotomolded buckets are a great option for organizing your loose materials and preventing contaminants from soiling your goods.
Store small items like copper tubing, brass fixtures, and electrical wire inside sealed plastic bins. These lightweight storage containers keep moisture out of your harvest and make stacking neatly in your truck bed a breeze. Labeling each container with the type of scrap inside expedites the load-out process and keeps you organized once you’re at the recycling center.
Safety Concerns When Salvaging Metals During Summer
Physical exertion when outside temperatures reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit isn’t just exhausting, it’s dangerous. Bent copper tubing, cast iron skirtings, and pile-driven nails get hot fast when they’re sitting in direct sunlight. Touching unprotected metals can cause serious burns, so you’ll want to wear leather work gloves anytime you interact with potential scrap materials.
Drinking plenty of fluids before, during, and after a scrap project is more important than ever. Heavy workouts like loading scrap metal flush your body of water twice as fast. Being thirsty is a sign you are already dehydrated, so always keep a cooler of ice water and sports drinks nearby during warm-weather hauling.
Hot pavement temperatures influence your vehicle as well. Maximum tire pressure on fully-loaded trucks generates an incredible amount of friction on hot asphalt. Check your tire pressure before loading the truck, as heat causes molecules inside your tires to expand. Driving with low tire pressure on a hot summer day significantly increases your risk of blowing a tire on the freeway.
Tips to Keep You Cool This Summer
Grab your gloves, sunscreen, and shade-pop! Summer is right around the corner, and it’s time to get scrap! If you keep these tips in mind before heading to the scrapyard you’ll avoid unnecessary hazards and keep yourself cool this season.
- Drink plenty of water — it bears repeating. Bring a cooler full of ice water and sports drinks to work, both while you’re loading up and when you’re at the recycling center.
- Check your tire pressure and engine temps. Heat increases the likelihood of tire blowouts and engine failure if your vehicle isn’t properly maintained. Always double-check your truck before loading junk to ensure you get to the yard safely.
- Schedule your drop-off for early morning. Arrive when the gates open to beat the crowd and spend less time sitting in your truck or on the scale platform.
Quiz: Recycling Projects in Hot Weather
- Can you still sell copper tubing if it has a green hue from lying in the rain?
- Yes. Copper is still valuable when it oxidizes, although it may be considered Number 2 copper rather than Number 1 by the technicians at the scale.
- What’s better to store your scrap metal in, a black plastic trash can or a light-colored storage tote?
- Light-colored storage tote. Dark colors absorb heat from the sun, which can cause your stored items to sweat inside the container.
- Why shouldn’t you leave old batteries sitting in your truck bed while you work?
- Heat causes battery casings to expand and possibly leak battery acid on your vehicle.
Hot Weather Aluminum Recycling | Quick Tips
- Practice Lifting Safely: Wear gloves and lift with your knees, not your back.
- Pace Yourself: Take regular breaks to drink water and cool off in the shade or A/C.
- Use the Sun to Your Advantage: Complete outdoor activities during the coolest parts of the day.
Timing Your Visit
You may find yourself sitting in your idling truck or standing around on pavement hotter than the surface of the sun while your load gets weighed. Time your drop-off to coincide with the coolest part of the day for your own comfort and to expedite your transaction.
Many seasoned pros will arrive at the curb when the yard first opens its gates. This couldn’t be easier or more convenient. Not only do you beat the intense summer heat, but you also dodge most of the big commercial traffic. Rolling up early means the outdoor temperatures will be the coolest they’ll be all day, making manual unload easier on your body.
If early mornings aren’t conducive to your schedule, find a yard that offers weekend hours or specific drop-off times. Selecting a recycling yard that works around the independent collector’s schedule lets you skip the line and process your materials into cash while avoiding the hottest parts of the day.
Metal Recycling & More From Action Metals
Doing an estate cleanout or converting a four-bedroom home’s worth of remodel scrap into quick cash? Say goodbye to camping out at some sketchy yard while it’s 105 degrees outside. Allow Action Metals to help simplify the process. Our yard is clean, organized, and structured to move our customers through quickly. We know summer in Texas can be brutal, and we want to make recycling with us as easy as possible for you.
FAQ
Q: Will built-up rust on my scrap metal lower my scale price?
A small amount of surface rust is very common when grading metals. Built-up rust won’t affect your price at all. If your steel is rusting to the point of crumbling and losing weight, it will decrease your overall payout as your material won’t weigh as much.
Q: I just cleaned my copper pipes. How do I store them until I can sell them?
Copper will tarnish into a black patina if left exposed to air for too long. Make sure you’re keeping your copper in a dry place that isn’t exposed to sunlight. Store them in sealed plastic bins or leave them wrapped up in tarps.
Q: When is the best time to bring scrap to the yard in the summer?
The best time to bring your scrap to the yard is right when they open in the morning. Not only will you beat the Texas summer heat, but you’ll be done dumping your truck before the temperatures rise.
