1 First
Salvage: take what can't be made
After a collapse, factories stop but the things they made are everywhere. The skill is knowing which parts are valuable, which are dangerous, and when to take them.
Priority is simple: things you cannot make or repair yourself come first. Steel wire you can bend; a solar panel, a bearing, a lens, antibiotics or a book you cannot. Weight and bulk come second: take the useful part, not the whole machine.
Your own things first
Start with your house, garage, shed and car, and with neighbours who agree to share. Most households hold months of salvage.
Only what is abandoned or given
While there is any law, owners or neighbours, taking from homes and shops is theft and gets people shot. Ask, trade, or organise salvage as a group with local agreement. Leave a note of what you took.
Never enter a place that may be occupied
Knock, call out, look for signs of life. Frightened people defend themselves.
Structural danger
No entering buildings after fire, flood or earthquake if walls lean, floors sag or ceilings crack. No basements with standing water: it may be live or hide gas.
Go equipped, go in pairs
Gloves, eye protection, dust mask, sturdy boots, headtorch, a basic tool roll, water. Tell someone where you went and when you will be back.
Early, before it rots
Paper, seeds, medicines, fabric, rubber and electronics degrade in damp, unheated buildings. Metal, glass and stone will still be there in ten years.
Salvage kit
2 Cars
Vehicles: a parts store on wheels
A dead car holds a 12 V power system, fuel, oil, tyres, glass, strong webbing, spring steel, a jack and dozens of fuses and motors.
Battery Take first
- Take
- Disconnect − first (10 mm spanner), then +. 15–25 kg, carry upright.
- Use
- 12 V lights, radio, charging phones. It is a starter battery: use only the top 20–30 % and recharge soon (batteries).
- Danger
- Acid, hydrogen, huge short-circuit current. Cracked case: leave it.
Fuel Take first
- Take
- Modern tanks have anti-siphon valves. Easiest: disconnect the fuel line at the engine bay or under the car and switch the ignition on to run the pump, into a proper can.
- Use
- Generator, chainsaw, cooking stove (not petrol indoors). Diesel also lights oil lamps and treats wood.
- Danger
- No flames, no smoking, no drilling or cutting tanks: vapour explodes. Petrol goes stale in months (storage).
Oil and fluids Useful
- Take
- Drain plug under the engine (13–19 mm). Unopened bottles from the boot and garages.
- Use
- Lubrication, rust-proofing tools, chain oil. Brake fluid (glycol) starts fires with potassium permanganate.
- Danger
- Coolant (ethylene glycol) tastes sweet and kills children and animals: label and lock away. Washer fluid may contain methanol.
Wiper motor Useful
- Take
- Under the plastic cowl below the windscreen, 3–4 bolts. Take the linkage too.
- Use
- Strong, slow 12 V geared motor: pumps, turning spits, winches, gate openers, stirring, rotating an antenna.
Alternator If space
- Take
- Loosen belt tensioner, 2–3 bolts, unplug.
- Use
- 12 V charging from an engine, water wheel or belt-driven drive. Needs high rpm (step-up pulley) and field current.
Wiring, fuses, relays Take first
- Take
- Fuse box with all its fuses, relays, inline fuse holders, switches, 12 V sockets, long harness runs (cut, do not pull).
- Use
- A complete off-grid 12 V system (wire and fuses). Thick battery and starter cables for battery links.
Lights Useful
- Take
- LED interior lights, number plate lamps, LED daytime running lights.
- Use
- 12 V room lights. Interior lamps draw 1–5 W. Old filament headlight bulbs draw 55 W each: too hungry.
Tyres, tubes, wheels Useful
- Take
- Spare wheel, jack, wheel brace, compressor or foam kit. Inner tubes from bikes, motorbikes and tractors.
- Use
- Carts and trailers. Inner tubes: straps, bungees, catapults, seals, fire starter. Old tyres: raised planting beds, erosion walls.
- Danger
- Burning tyres gives toxic smoke. Truck tyres on rims can explode when deflating or heated.
Seat belts Useful
- Take
- Cut the webbing at both ends. 2–3 m per belt.
- Use
- Very strong webbing: straps, pack harnesses, hauling, hammocks, lashing loads, dog leads.
- Danger
- Leave the retractor alone: most have an explosive pretensioner.
Glass, mirrors If space
- Take
- Side windows drop out once the door card is off. Mirrors unclip.
- Use
- Cold frames, solar dryers, signalling mirror (signals). Windscreens are laminated: hard to reuse.
Springs and steel If space
- Take
- Coil springs (with a spring compressor only), leaf springs from trucks and trailers, torsion bars.
- Use
- High-carbon spring steel: knives, chisels, punches, froes, pry bars (heat treating).
- Danger
- A compressed coil spring can kill if released. Unbolt the strut, then compress before undoing the top nut.
Tools and kit Take first
- Take
- Toolkit, warning triangle, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, jump leads, tow rope, torch, blankets.
- Use
- Everything. First aid kits have bandages, gloves and a foil blanket.
Electric cars, hybrids, e-bikes
Orange cables and the big traction battery run at 300–800 V DC. Capacitors in the drive stay charged. Never cut orange cables or open the pack. A damaged EV battery can catch fire days later. Take the ordinary 12 V battery, wiring and the rest. A working EV can still power 230 V devices through its own V2L socket if it has one (car as power station).
E-bike and scooter packs (36–48 V lithium) are worth taking if undamaged: they power an e-bike, and their chargers and hub motors are valuable. Store and charge them outdoors or in a metal box, never in a bedroom.
3 Home
Appliances: motors, pumps, steel and insulation
Dead appliances are the easiest salvage: every house has them, they come apart with screwdrivers and hold parts that nobody will manufacture for years.
Washing machine Useful
- Take
- Motor, drain pump, inlet valves, hoses, drum, bearings, suspension springs, steel panels.
- Use
- Drum: fire pit, rocket stove body, compost sieve, cable reel. Direct-drive motors make low-speed generators. Hoses: water transfer.
- Danger
- Concrete counterweights weigh 20–30 kg each; the machine can fall when they are loose.
Fridge and freezer Useful
- Take
- Use the cabinet whole. Shelves, door seals, thermostat, fan.
- Use
- Insulated box: cool store buried in the ground, haybox cooker, seed store safe from mice, incubator, brooder, smoker cabinet.
- Danger
- Do not cut the pipes: refrigerant is flammable (isobutane in newer fridges) or harms the ozone layer. Remove the door or latch before children play near it.
Microwave oven Experts
- Take
- Glass turntable plate, small turntable motor, fan, door switches, fuse, the steel box.
- Use
- Steel box as a small solar oven liner or tool cabinet. Turntable motor: slow 230 V rotation.
- Danger
- The high-voltage capacitor stores 2000+ V and can kill even when unplugged. The transformer is lethal if powered. The magnetron holds beryllium oxide ceramic: never break or grind it.
Water heater / hot water cylinder Take first
- Take
- The water inside (50–300 L): power off, cold supply closed, open a hot tap, drain from the bottom valve. Later: tank, element, thermostat, anode, valves.
- Use
- Drinking water after treatment (water). The tank: water storage, solar water heater, wood-fired boiler.
- Danger
- Hot water scalds; pressurised tanks: release pressure before opening fittings.
Dryer, oven, dishwasher If space
- Take
- Motors, blower fans, heating elements, glass oven doors, racks, pumps.
- Use
- Oven racks: grills and drying racks. Oven door glass: solar oven and food dryer windows. Blowers: forge air.
Vacuum, blender, drill If space
- Take
- Universal motors (fast, run on AC or DC), switches, cords.
- Use
- Forge blower, grinder, sanding. Power cords with plugs are always useful.
Gas cooker and heaters Useful
- Take
- Burners, regulators, hoses, piezo igniters. Full or partial gas bottles.
- Use
- Outdoor cooking on bottled gas. Piezo igniters light fires.
- Danger
- Test joints with soapy water, never a flame. Bottles upright, never in basements (gas is heavier than air).
Sewing machine Take first
- Take
- Especially old mechanical or treadle machines, plus needles, bobbins, thread, oil.
- Use
- Clothes, tarps, bags, repairs for decades. A treadle machine needs no power.
4 Small parts
Electronics: batteries, chargers, light and magnets
Most of what matters off-grid is 5 V and 12 V: USB, LEDs and lithium cells. It is all inside the gadgets people throw away.
Power banks, chargers, cables Take first
- Take
- Every USB cable, car USB charger, 12 V "cigarette" adapter, power bank and wall charger.
- Use
- Charge phones, radios, torches from 12 V. Weigh little, fail often, so have many.
UPS (computer backup) Take first
- Take
- The whole unit. Inside: 12 V sealed lead-acid batteries (7–9 Ah) and an inverter.
- Use
- Small 230 V supply for routers and radios. The batteries run LED lights; replace them when dead.
Lithium cells Useful
- Take
- Power tool packs whole (with a charger), laptop packs, 18650 cells from old packs and vapes.
- Use
- Torches, radios, DIY packs with a BMS. Check each 18650: 3.0–4.2 V is normal.
- Danger
- Discard cells below 2 V, swollen, dented, rusty or hot. Never short them; tape the ends. Never puncture pouch cells from phones.
Solar garden lights Take first
- Take
- Whole. Each has a tiny solar panel, an AA or AAA NiMH cell, LED and a charge circuit.
- Use
- Free night lighting for paths, toilets and rooms: bring them in at night. Panels trickle-charge AA cells.
Radios, walkie-talkies, scanners Take first
- Take
- Anything that receives or transmits, with antennas, chargers and manuals.
- Use
- News and coordination (comms). Car radios run on 12 V.
LED lighting Useful
- Take
- 12 V LED strips, LED spotlights (12 V MR16), torches, headtorches, bike lights.
- Use
- Run directly on 12 V. Mains LED bulbs need 230 V (inverter).
Computer power supply If space
- Take
- ATX supply from desktop PCs. Laptop power bricks.
- Use
- 12 V and 5 V bench supply when there is mains or generator power; charging batteries slowly.
- Danger
- Do not open: its capacitors hold 325 V.
Hard drives, speakers, printers If space
- Take
- Neodymium magnets from hard drives and speakers. Stepper motors, steel rods, bearings, gears from printers and scanners.
- Use
- Magnets: compass needle, finding tools in grass, latches, small generators. Motors and rods: mechanisms.
Smoke and CO alarms Take first
- Take
- The whole alarm, with its batteries.
- Use
- Mount one in every room with a stove or candle. A CO alarm saves lives when you heat and cook with fire.
- Danger
- Ionisation smoke alarms contain a tiny radioactive source: do not open them.
Laptops, e-readers, tablets and USB sticks may hold manuals, maps, medical references and books. Copy them before the batteries die (library). An e-reader runs weeks on a charge.
5 Structures
Buildings: water, glass, timber and copper
A house is a pile of materials. Take the things that make other things possible: gutters for rain, glass for growing, timber for building, wire for power.
Water in pipes and tanks Take first
- Take
- Hot water cylinder, header tank in the loft, toilet cisterns (not the bowl), pipes drained from the lowest tap, radiator systems (not for drinking: inhibitor chemicals).
- Use
- Drinking after treatment, washing, flushing.
Gutters, downpipes, tanks Take first
- Take
- Plastic and metal guttering with brackets, downpipes, water butts, IBC tanks, food-grade barrels.
- Use
- Rainwater harvesting (rain collection). 1 mm of rain on 1 m² of roof = 1 L.
Solar panels Take first
- Take
- Roof panels with their cables, connectors, mounting rails, inverter or charge controller if present.
- Use
- Your power system (solar).
- Danger
- Roof panels in series produce 300–1000 V DC in daylight. Cover them or work at night, disconnect the plugs first, never cut live cables. Falls from roofs kill: use ladders and harness.
Windows and glass Useful
- Take
- Whole window frames, glass doors, shower screens, greenhouse panes, double glazing units.
- Use
- Greenhouses, cold frames, solar dryers and ovens, repairing your own windows. Transport upright, padded.
Insulation Useful
- Take
- Rigid foam boards, mineral wool rolls, sheep wool, polystyrene packaging.
- Use
- Insulating your warm room (shelter), root cellar, haybox cooker, cold store.
- Danger
- Mineral wool itches and irritates lungs: mask, gloves, long sleeves.
Timber and boards Useful
- Take
- Joists, rafters, floorboards, doors, pallets, fence panels, plywood.
- Use
- Building, raised beds, animal housing, furniture. Pull the nails as you go.
- Danger
- Green or grey-tinted old fence and deck timber may be CCA treated (arsenic): never burn it or use it near food crops.
Wire and cable Useful
Metal sheet and hardware If space
- Take
- Roofing sheets, flashing, radiators, pipes, brackets, hinges, locks, nails and screws by the jar.
- Use
- Roofing, stoves, animal shelters, repairs.
Wood stove and flue Take first
- Take
- Stoves, flue pipe, rain caps, fire bricks, fire-resistant rope and glass.
- Use
- Heat and cooking for decades (fire and heat). Heavy: take a team and a trolley.
Asbestos, lead and mould
- Asbestos was widely used until the 1990s (banned EU-wide in 2005): corrugated roof sheets, pipe lagging, boiler insulation, floor tiles and their glue, textured ceilings, old fire blankets, cement boards. Breaking it releases fibres that cause cancer decades later. If unsure, do not cut, drill, break or sweep it.
- Lead paint (older houses) and lead pipes: no sanding or burning old paint, no drinking water from lead pipes.
- Black mould in flooded buildings: mask, and do not take soft furnishings.
6 Places
Where to look: by what you need
Only with owner permission, community agreement or when clearly abandoned. The shops you would not think of are often the most useful.
| Place | Look for |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy, clinic, vet | Wound dressings, gloves, saline, painkillers, rehydration salts, reference books. Medicines: only with someone trained (medical). |
| Garden centre, farm supply | Seed (check dates), tools, fencing, netting, fertiliser, irrigation fittings, animal feed, poultry equipment. |
| Hardware and builders' merchants | Fasteners, tools, glue, rope, tarps, pipe fittings, sealant, lime, cement. |
| Camping and outdoor | Water filters, stoves, fuel, tents, sleeping bags, clothing, headtorches. |
| Bike shop | Tubes, tyres, chains, cables, brake pads, tools, trailers. Bikes are the long-term transport. |
| Car parts, caravan, boat shops | 12 V everything: fuses, cable, pumps, lights, fridges, batteries, solar kits. |
| Library, schools | Books on farming, medicine, repair, local maps and history (library). |
| Fabric, craft, charity shops | Needles, thread, wool, fabric, buttons, zips; warm clothing and blankets. |
| Home-brew, kitchen shops | Fermenting vessels, airlocks, bottles, jars, lids, pressure canners, sterilising chemicals. |
| Fishing and hunting | Line, hooks, nets, traps, knives, waterproof clothing. |
| Offices, public buildings | Fire extinguishers, first-aid kits, AED defibrillators, paper, whiteboards, UPS units. |
7 Method
Taking things apart without getting hurt
A careful method saves fingers and lets you put things back together when you find they work.
Strip a device safely
- Unplug from the mains and remove batteries. Wait a few minutes before opening.
- Look for large capacitors (cans). Discharge them through a 1–10 kΩ resistor held with insulated pliers, never with a screwdriver. Measure to confirm 0 V.
- Photograph each layer before you remove it. You will not remember how it went.
- Screws and small parts into a numbered cup or egg carton, one per step.
- Sort useful parts into labelled boxes. Bag the rest by material for later.
- Hidden screws sit under rubber feet, labels and trim. Plastic clips release by pressing the tab, not by prying.
- Test before you strip: a motor or pump that runs is worth far more whole with its wiring.
- Seized bolts: penetrating oil overnight, tap the head, then turn. Heat helps, but never near fuel or plastics (fasteners).
! Danger
Do not open: things that hurt or poison
Some salvage is not worth the risk. Take these whole or leave them.
| Item | Hazard | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Airbags, seat belt pretensioners | Explosive charges, can fire when handled or heated | Leave in the car. Cut belts at the webbing only. |
| Microwave oven internals | Lethal capacitor and transformer, beryllium oxide in magnetron | Take only plate, motor, fan, box. |
| Old CRT TVs and monitors | Tube implodes; charge up to 25 000 V; lead glass | Leave it. |
| EV and hybrid batteries | 300–800 V DC, fire | Do not open, do not cut orange cables. |
| Damaged lithium batteries | Fire, toxic gas | Outside on soil, away from buildings. |
| Fluorescent tubes, CFLs, thermometers | Mercury | Do not break. If broken: ventilate, sweep with card, no vacuum. |
| Old fluorescent ballast capacitors, transformers | PCBs (toxic oil) in pre-1980s units | Leave them. |
| Ionisation smoke alarms | Small radioactive source | Use them whole. |
| Fridges, freezers, air conditioners | Flammable or harmful refrigerant, compressor oil | Use the cabinet; do not cut the pipes. |
| Gas bottles, aerosol cans, fire extinguishers | Pressure, flammable gas | Never heat, cut or puncture. |
| Asbestos products | Cancer from fibres | Do not break or drill (details). |
| Treated timber, painted scrap | Arsenic, lead fumes when burnt | Build with it, never burn it. |
| Unlabelled chemicals | Anything | Never mix, never sniff, never store near food. |
8 Keep
Storing salvage: so you can find it
A heap of parts is useless when you need one bolt at night. Organise as you bring it in.
Dry and off the floor
Shelves, pallets, sealed boxes. Damp destroys electronics, rubber and paper. Silica gel sachets from shoe boxes and packaging go into every electronics box.
Stop rust
Wipe steel with oil (engine oil, lanolin, cooking oil in a pinch). Store tools in a box with a rag of oil. Remove rust with vinegar soak, then oil.
Label and list
Masking tape and marker on every box. Keep a notebook: what, how many, where. Electronics: note what each part came from and whether it was tested.
Fuel and chemicals apart
In a separate, ventilated shed away from the house and from food. Proper cans, labelled, caps tight.
Batteries
Lead-acid: charged, cool, on wood, recharge every 3 months. Lithium: 40–60 % charged, cool, in a metal box, away from anything flammable.
Rubber and plastic
Out of the sun. UV cracks tyres, tubes, hoses, tarps and plastic within a few seasons.