Copper pipe value

[mattthew279]

I'm redoing a small bathroom and I'm switching the old copper drain pipe to PVC. I think it's copper anyway....really looks like it. I was just curious about how much the old copper might be worth at a recycling place. There isn't much, but the main 3" pipe runs about 15 feet and then there are a few different size pipes stemming off of it. Any guesses?

[suemarkp]

Its probably worth about $1 to $1.50 per pound (1/3 to 1/2 the commodity trading rate). I have no idea what that pipe weighs, but you could try weighing a new piece at a home store to see what 2", 3" copper pipe weighs.

[Phil H]

Around here, they have different prices for clean copper and "dirty" copper. Different places have different standards for what they consider clean. Suemarkp's prices sound reasonable. About five years ago, it was $.90 for clean. Weights for copper DWV pipe are:
4" - 2.870 lb/ft
3" - 1.690 lb/ft
2" - 1.070 lb/ft
1-1/2" - 0.809 lb/ft
If the pipe is type M or L it will be heavier.