If it's been a while since you've cleaned out your garage, or if you are simply working on a major construction project, you may have some free money lying around disguised as junk. Scrap metal recycling companies will take your scrap metal and give you money. If you aren't sure if scrap metal is worth the time, check out these five frequently asked questions.

What Does Ferrous Metal?

When you start research scrap metal recycling, you may see the term ferrous. Ferrous is simply metal that is magnetic. When the metal does not have magnetic properties, it is considered non-ferrous. Metals that are ferrous include steel and iron, while non-ferrous metals include copper, brass, bronze and many others. As you can tell, non-ferrous metals tend to be more precious. Therefore, you'll get more money when you exchange non-ferrous metal. Of course, different types of non-ferrous metals are also worth more than others. For example, bronze is non-ferrous and so is stainless steel, but bronze is more precious than stainless steel and worth more.

Should You Sort the Metal?

Most of the time, the scrap metal recycling plant doesn't require you to sort your metal. They will take it all at once, weigh it and give you the money. However, this is not recommended because you may miss out on some cash. For example, if you mostly have iron, but you have a little copper and bronze mixed in, the recycling plant isn't going to bother sorting it for you. They'll give you the price based on if it was all iron. It's best to sort your metal into non-ferrous and ferrous (simply use a magnet) and then sort them into different types of metals.

Is it There a Minimum Weight?

Some places may have a minimum weight requirement for your scrap metal, but others may not. If you tend to collect scrap metal, it is a good idea to stockpile your metal. This is because the amount of money you get is determined by the weight of the metal. Waiting until you have a lot of metal at once saves you money on gas. Also, the price of some metals changes from day to day, so you may want to save that copper until it reaches a high price.

Can Metal Be Rejected?

Some of your metal can be rejected. One common reason your metal may get rejected is that the facility may not take that type of metal for various reasons. Another common reason is that the metal clearly doesn't belong to you. For example, if you try to bring in old rail road tracks that have been discarded, you don't own those, so you can't get money. Lastly, metal can be rejected if it comes in unclean gasoline tanks. Any tank that contained gasoline must be properly cleaned, and a hole must be drilled into the bottom, so it cannot hold gasoline.

Are There Easy Solutions?

If you are just trying to get rid of some scrap metal you've collected over the years, you don't have to go through the trouble of separating it and hauling it to a facility. There are many companies that will come to your home and collect your scrap metal for you. In return, you get rid of your garbage and make some cash. Ask the company about electronic waste too. Some companies may also be willing to purchase old electronics to dispose of properly.

Whether you're looking to make some extra income, or you just want to get rid of that pile of metal you've been collecting, scrap metal recycling is a great option. For more information about easy scrap metal solutions, contact a scrap metal pick-up company in your area today. You can also visit websites like http://www.scrapmetalprocessors.com/.