Breaking down an old air conditioner is one of the most satisfying and financially rewarding do-it-yourself projects for the handy homeowner. If you've ever been curious about what exactly is inside your unit, this job will give you a great opportunity to find out and make a little side money in the process.
Cleaning Out The Refrigerant
Simply removing the refrigerant from your old air conditioner on your own may be physically easier, but it's also highly illegal due to the environmental impact of releasing harmful chemicals. This makes breaking down your air conditioner difficult, since you can't start without getting rid of the liquid inside.
One solution to this problem is to have your new air conditioner serviceman bleed the refrigerant out while installing the replacement air conditioner. Usually techs will provide this service for free or for a small fee. Otherwise, if you aren't having a new unit installed, you can contact your local sanitation department for disposal instructions. You may need a third party technician to come and drain the refrigerant for you, which can be costly.
Cash In On Metal Components
Once the refrigerant is dealt with, it's time to take apart your machine. You'll need a general tool set with screwdrivers and adjustable wrenches, and you'll have to have a metal saw for the later steps. If you don't have one, contact the scrapyard to see if they can lend you one or do the cutting for you.
To get started, disconnect everything that can be disconnected. You should end up with a large metal sphere, some copper tubing and wiring, a radiator, a condenser, and plenty of nonmetal parts. Everything that isn't metal can be discarded right away. The spherical sealed unit, which contains a significant amount of metal wrapped around the A/C's motor, can be sold as-is, so you can set it aside. Not every scrapyard will buy a sealed unit, however, so call potential buyers in advance before you bother to make the trip.
The radiator and condenser will likely contain copper, steel, aluminum, or brass components. Position the parts over a drain pan and carefully use your metal saw to remove all of the steel parts. Hydraulic fluid may get sprayed onto your clothes by the saw as it drains, so face and clothing protection are recommended. Both the steel elements and the mixed-metal parts can be sold to the scrapyard separately.
Finally, address your tubes and wires. All you need to do for these is give them a quick wipe off with a brush or paper towel and cut away any soldered areas. This raises the value because it makes refining the copper easier.
The exact value of scrap metal can fluctuate quickly, but you should still end up with a nice haul. Even on the low end of the potential earnings, the value of your air conditioner components should be enough to take yourself out to a nice meal.
After you've scrapped your old air conditioner, you may want to look into buying a new one. For more information, contact Omega Air Conditioning or a similar company.
Share30 July 2015
While sitting in my living room on a hot summer day, I could feel the heat coming through the ceiling out of my attic and making the house warm up more than it should. I crawled up into the attic one evening to find out that the roof vents weren't working any longer because they were clogged with all sorts of debris. Did you know that when this happens, your home's temperature can rise to very uncomfortable levels? Did you know that your home could actually be damaged if the attic isn't well vented? This blog will show you all about attic ventilation.