Sell scrap metal around Des Moines without babysitting the pile

What central Iowa actually throws on the scale

Housing stock from Beaverdale to the western suburbs

A lot of Des Moines scrap is not industrial. It is plumbing. Neighborhoods built from the 1920s through the 1970s — Beaverdale, the south side, parts of the near west — still give up copper supply lines and brass valves when a bathroom or a boiler finally gets replaced. Those loads are small, and they pay only if the copper is not buried under old drywall and steel studs.

West of the river the story changes. Waukee, Grimes, and the newer edges of Ankeny are still framing houses. Builder cutoffs there are more often copper stubs, HVAC line sets, and leftover steel studs than a basement full of cast iron. Say which one you have. A partner yard prices them differently.

Winter salt, spring mud, and summer build season

Central Iowa gives scrap a calendar. From the first hard freeze into March, garages fill with broken appliances and cars that will not start. Road salt rides in on floor pans and eats the easy steel. Spring rains then turn uncovered piles into mud, which is how a decent copper load gets bought as dirty. Summer and early fall are when roofers, electricians, and home builders actually want the metal gone so the next inspection can happen.

Storm seasons matter too. After a hail year, roofing crews and insurance rebuilds leave aluminum drip edge, old furnaces, and satellite dishes in alleys from Clive to Altoona. Those are not copper money. They are still worth a photo if the pile is large enough to move.

Warehouses, the Capitol corridor, and the farm edge

East toward Bondurant and Altoona, distribution buildings along I-80 turn over racking, forklift parts, and light steel when a tenant leaves. That is a different truck than a plumber’s van. Downtown and the East Village renovations produce shorter loads: commercial kitchens, old fire sprinkler drops, and the occasional brass fixture from a brick building that is being opened up.

Drive south to Indianola or east to Newton and farm equipment shows up — cultivator shanks, feeders, and steel that has sat behind a machine shed since the last time grain prices were good. Tell the yard if the metal is still bolted to wood or concrete. They would rather know before they roll.

Questions people ask

Do you buy the scrap yourselves?

A partner yard buys the metal and prints the ticket. How that split works is spelled out in the footer.

Will you post today’s Des Moines yard prices?

No. Local prices vary by yard. The live figures on this page are market spot prices for gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and COMEX copper. Send a photo for a quote.

Do I need identification?

Yes. Iowa yards require a valid government-issued photo ID before they pay. Bring the same ID that will be on the ticket.

Towns around Des Moines

Each town below has its own page, because a new Waukee subdivision and an old Newton factory block do not produce the same metal.

Sort Des Moines scrap by metal and grade

A magnet is a quick first check, not a price quote. If it sticks firmly, the piece is likely steel or iron. Copper, brass, and aluminum are usually non-ferrous and will not attract a magnet. Some stainless steel can be weakly magnetic or not magnetic, so do not identify it by magnet alone. Keep uncertain pieces separate and let the partner yard inspect them.

Copper wire and pipe can fall into different grades. Bare bright is clean, uncoated copper wire with the insulation removed. #1 copper is generally clean pipe or solid copper with little contamination; #2 may include more oxidation, solder, or other attached material. Yard grading rules differ, so keep these types apart rather than trying to label a mixed box as one grade.

Insulated wire is commonly graded by the amount and type of copper inside it. Stripping can make sense for thick, clean wire, but thin wire takes time and may not gain enough value to cover the effort. Do not burn insulation to remove it. Burning creates hazardous fumes and can leave the copper in worse condition. Ask the yard how it wants a particular wire type sorted.

Brass often comes from valves, fittings, and plumbing parts. Remove obvious steel attachments when it is easy and safe, but do not damage a part just to make it look cleaner. Aluminum also has different forms, such as cast pieces, clean extrusion, sheet, and cans. Keep heavy cast parts apart from thin sheet and remove attached steel where practical; mixed materials can be graded down.

Prepare a scrap pickup safely

Before requesting pickup, make separate piles and leave a clear route to them. Send photos that show the whole load and close-ups of anything unusual, then give the town, access details, and whether the material is sorted. Mention stairs, a narrow driveway, a locked gate, soft ground, or anything that could affect loading. The partner yard decides whether it can handle the load and sets the pickup arrangements.

Keep scrap away from walkways and do not stack unstable material high. Sheet metal edges can cut, wire ends can puncture, and heavy pieces can shift when lifted. Wear sturdy shoes and gloves when handling material, and do not reach into an appliance or a pile you cannot see into. Leave loading equipment and lifting decisions to the people doing the pickup.

Do not cut into sealed tanks, cylinders, or appliances to make them easier to move. Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and some other equipment can contain refrigerant that needs proper recovery before the unit is scrapped. Never cut refrigerant lines or vent the gas. Ask the yard what it accepts and whether the equipment must be handled by a qualified technician before pickup.

Tell the partner yard about batteries, fluid leaks, or other hazards before a vehicle or equipment is loaded. Do not pour oil, coolant, fuel, or other fluids onto the ground or into a drain. If a pile includes sharp, pressurized, or contaminated items, photograph them separately and ask whether they can be accepted. A clear description helps avoid a truck arriving for material it cannot safely take.

Junk cars, catalytic converters, and paperwork in Des Moines

For a junk car, have the vehicle’s location, make, model, approximate condition, and whether it rolls ready when you ask for a quote. Say if keys are available and whether access is tight. Tell the partner yard about missing wheels, a flat tire, a blocked driveway, or a vehicle that is partly dismantled. Those details can affect whether the yard can load it and what equipment the pickup requires.

Ask the yard what ownership documents it needs before scheduling a vehicle pickup. Title requirements can depend on the vehicle and circumstances, and a title should not be assumed unnecessary just because the car is damaged. If the title is missing, the names do not match, or a lien may remain, explain that first and ask what paperwork will be accepted. Do not sign over a vehicle until the documents are clear.

Catalytic converters are often handled separately from ordinary scrap because the yard may need to identify the part and verify the seller’s paperwork. Do not remove one from a vehicle you do not own or have authority to dismantle. Before bringing one in, ask the partner yard what identification and proof of ownership it requires, and whether it accepts loose converters at all.

Keep personal belongings out of a vehicle before pickup, including items in the trunk and glove box. Remove or protect anything you need, such as a parking pass or garage remote. If the car is in a shared lot or behind a gate, confirm access and permission with the property contact. The yard handles the scale ticket and payment; ask it directly what to bring and when payment is made.

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