Stainless steel is prevalent in homes, including in permanent features, appliances, kitchen ware and tools. Most people have seen a stainless steel kitchen sink and built-in oven at some point, and stainless steel flatware is the most common type for eating meals. At one point in the country’s history, entire homes constructed from this material were made available due to a housing shortage. Although customers of metal recycling plants primarily think of aluminum, those facilities also do stainless steel recycling in Baltimore.
Prefabricated Steel Houses
It was the late 1940s. There weren’t enough homes available for all the soldiers coming back from serving in the military during World War II. An entrepreneur with an intriguing idea stepped up to the plate and started a manufacturing corporation called Lustron to build prefabricated houses made of steel. Eight models were available.
Magnetism
The stainless steel sheets were covered in porcelain, but they still would hold a magnet placed against the metal. Not all stainless steel attracts magnets, though. A high concentration of iron is necessary, so magnetism or lack of it doesn’t identify this particular metal.
Small Numbers
The idea never really took off with the public and the corporation quickly ran into financial trouble. By 1950, the company was bankrupt after only assembling about 2,500 houses. Only about half of them are still standing. They still are appealing to buyers looking for a house with an exterior that is virtually maintenance-free.
Historic Value
These days, many of those stainless steel homes that are still in existence are considered historic treasures, so they won’t be torn down and dismantled for their valuable components. But whenever anybody wants to have built-in stainless steel fixtures or appliances removed from those houses or from other places of residence, that material can be brought to a facility for Stainless Steel Recycling in Baltimore.
Small Items
Those facilities also accept all the useless smaller items people may want to unload that are made of this material, such as old nonfunctional percolators and broken steak knives. Visit Mid-Atlantic Metals Inc to learn about the various kinds of materials that are in demand for recycling.
