Insulated copper wire is one of the most frequently recycled copper products, found in everything from household wiring to electronics and heavy machinery.
Thicker wires are often worth stripping for clean, bare copper, while thinner wires may be more profitable to sell as-is.
We typically separate insulated wire into categories—like #1 insulated, #2 insulated, or communication wire—depending on thickness and copper content. However, even with insulation attached, insulated wire often brings a strong price because copper is one of the most sought-after non-ferrous metals
A typical house may contain 400–500 pounds of copper, much of it in insulated wiring.
Copper is the second-best conductor of electricity after silver—but much more affordable, which is why it dominates in wiring.
Unlike steel, copper is non-magnetic—so a magnet won’t stick to insulated copper wire, which helps identify it in scrap sorting.
Ancient Egyptians used copper for tools and jewelry over 5,000 years ago.
