MORE WAYS TO RECYCLE OLD REFRIGERATORS INTO LOW COST SOLAR WATER HEATERS

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

Pretty clever, these experimenters of ours! And this whole passive solar water heating and storage system -which supplies 100% of a threeto four-man shop's hot water needs—only cost us $41.97 out-of-pocket. Show us a commercially manufactured unit with anywhere near the same performance for anything less than $1,000 ... and we'll give you a free blistering-hot hand wash on any winter's day of your choice.

A SMALL DISCOVERY

While working on this recycled refrigerator project, MOTHER's researchers stumbled onto an idea that could well be developed into a profitable home business by hundreds of readers scattered across the country.

What happened was—in an effort to assemble a large collection of old refrigerators, freezers, and water tanks to experiment with—we ran a small classified ad in the local very small daily newspaper. The ad read: "Will haul away discarded refrigerators and hot water tanks" . . . and the response was overwhelming.

Within two days ( well within two da s) we were qualifying our telephone calls (is ("What kind of refrigerator'? What shape is it in?"). In short, if our experiences are any indication, a lot of people at any given time in any given community across the United States and Canada are anxious to have someone haul away old refrigerators, freezers, and water heaters.

We found that quite interesting. But the really amazing part of the whole deal was the fact that six out of the first eleven refrigerators wepicked up were still in working order . . . or began running as soon as we replaced the appliance's temperature control switch . Or, to put it another way: With just a little tinkering, over half of all the fridges we picked up could have been sold at a handsome profit as "good used refrigerators in operating condition".

Aha! Suddenly it became apparent to us why so many small towns across the country always seem able to support at least one "used furniture dealer" who specializes in old kitchen ranges and refrigerators ... and who always seems to do as well or better than the "real" merchants downtown. This guy may look as if he's dealin in junk ... but he's really handling solid gold!

Very quickly, then: [1] A very small and very inexpensive classified ad can very quickly put more used refrigerators, freezers water heaters, etc., at your fingertips than you'll know what to do with. [2] A number of people will even offer to pay you to haul the units away. [3] Over half of those appliances—if our experience is any indication—still work beautifully or can be put back in running order with hardly any output of labor or cash. [4] There's always a market for good used major appliances. [5] The real clunkers will still cover your overhead when carted to a junk dealer and sold as scrap. [6] Or, better yet, convert those clunkers into solar water heaters and sell 'em that way! Any way you look at it, there's a good solid net $10,000- or $15,000-a-year business here on hardly any initial investment at all.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print