The second law of ecology states that everything must go somewhere. If we take a look at the things around us, every single thing that we own and have owned goes somewhere else. Even trash is meant to go somewhere. If that’s the case, every single thing that we plan to dispose of is meant to be utilised again.
It can be hard to think of what to do with an old steam boiler. Especially if you have a fire tube boiler that is huge and takes up a lot of floor area. The same goes with if your boiler is still working perfectly fine, yet, your business needs a new one that can produce better work quality.
If you’re planning to just leave your boiler in an empty factory just to get rid of it, stop right there. There are things that you can do for the steam boiler to be utilised again. To get you started, here are 5 things that you can do to your old steam boiler.
1. If it’s still working, sell it instead
It’s understandable if you’re planning to just get rid of your boiler in the easiest way possible. I know it can be time-consuming to have it cleaned, inspected, and attended to before you can sell it. But, it’s also nice to note that money doesn’t grow on trees.
Imagine, if you plan to sell your steam boiler, you’ll surely earn hundreds of dollars from it. You surely wouldn’t get a dollar without having to work hard for it. Since you already have an item that is capable of providing you with extra cash, make the most out of it.
For sure, you will find people who need your boiler and who can turn it into something that they’ll use daily. If not, you’ve got nothing to lose. At least you tried selling it. If you can’t find people who are interested in an old boiler, you can try to inquire about a metal shop. Ask if they’re interested or if they’re accepting old boilers. Let’s take a look at tip number 2 as to how and why.
2. Inquire a metal shop and ask if they’re interested in buying an old steam boiler or its parts
There are fabrication shops that are interested in buying old machinery parts. If you fail to find an interested buyer for your steam boiler, you can consider looking for a metal shop that accepts metal parts.
If they’re interested in buying your steam boiler, that’s great. But if not, you can ask if they consider boiler parts instead. Usually, what they do is buy it for a cheap price, then remodel it and resell it for a higher one. Or they also just reuse the metal into something that would be useful.
Look for metal and fabrication shops near you. The chances that they’d buy from you are higher compared to looking for other personal boiler buyers.
3. Bring it to a scrap yard
If you don’t mind disposing of the steam boiler or don’t prioritise making money out of it, you can bring it to a scrap yard instead. Usually, scrap yards would buy metal at a cheap price. They also highly consider the type of metal that you’ll sell and prices may vary on that.
The chances that a scrap yard would be interested in buying your old steam boiler are high. Most especially if your boiler is still in good condition. What they’ll do is that they’ll recycle the boiler’s parts into something useful.
If you happen to sell a steam boiler such as a water tube boiler, which is considered highly effective machinery, they can opt to refurbish it and sell it for a higher value. Regardless, bringing an old steam boiler to a scrap yard is better than just throwing it away.
4. Have it refurbished
In my 1st tip, I only recommended selling the boiler. If you tried doing so already but can’t seem to find interested buyers, maybe your boiler needs some refurbishing. If you highly prioritise making a lot of money out of your old steam boiler, having its parts changed and cleaned is the first thing that you should do.
Before anything else, have a professional check your boiler. Ask for their opinion as to how its performance is and its overall quality. After, ask them how much would the ideal price be if you were to sell the boiler as it is. Then, compare it to how much you would earn if you were to sell the boiler after having it refurbished.
If you think that refurbishing the boiler would make you more money than selling it as it is, do so. This tip is perfect for those whose main goal is to sell the boiler first before purchasing a new one. Also, if your steam boiler is still in its par condition, you surely can sell it at a price that matches its value and work performance.
5. Keep it so you can open it for rent for commercial ads and other marketing schemes
Last but not least, if you can, you can keep your steam boiler. And why? So you can have it for rent to those who need it for commercial ads or movies. Now, of course, big movie companies don’t rent their equipment and props anymore. Unless it’s equipment that is rare and such.
But, if you’re not really in a rush to sell your steam boiler, you can consider this option if you want to. You can post your boiler online or join a group or community of equipment and props rental. This could be a great side hustle and a source of extra income for you.
If possible, avoid throwing it and have it recycled instead
There you have it. These are the 5 things that you can do to your old steam boiler. As much as you can, please try to avoid throwing your old machinery in garbage dumps. Have it taken care of by scrap or metal experts instead so that its parts can be reused into something useful. A lot of people will surely benefit from your reused steam boiler if you plan to opt-in to any of the tips I shared above.
About the author:
Bianca Banda is a writer for Trilogy Boilers Australia, a veteran in specialized boiler and burner installations, servicing, engineering, industrial gas plumbing, and more.
