Asphalt or cement roofing and siding that contain asbestos when intact and in good condition are generally considered nonfriable and are not hazardous.
Asbestos asphalt siding.
Asbestos cement can be dangerous if pulverized by sawing sanding breaking etc.
Asbestos products and their history and use in various building materials such as asphalt and vinyl flooring includes discussion which draws on asbestos its industrial applications d v.
Nonfriable means they cannot be broken up by hand pressure.
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Removing asbestos is often cost prohibitive for most people.
Rosato engineering consultant newton ma reinhold publishing 1959 library of congress catalog card no.
The resulting product was very durable fire resistant and absorbed paint well.
It is very brittle and has a tendency to crack and break when nailed which can release asbestos fibers into both the air and ground.
Asbestos siding was made by adding asbestos a naturally occurring mineral to portland cement.
However asbestos fibers can cause serious lung and respiratory problems if inhaled.
Wet down the asbestos siding or roofing with a mixture of water and liquid soap in a pump up sprayer to limit dust.
Testing your siding for asbestos.
Use a flat pry bar to remove the asbestos siding or roofing material starting from the top.
Roof shingles even if the material contained asbestos which it might are rarely the only nor even the principal source of problem levels of asbestos fibers in a building and i suspect the same is true of asphalt based building siding.
Because of its fire resistant properties asbestos was common in many home materials including roofing shingles.
Paper like vapor barriers can present more of a hazard since they are considered friable.
The use of a pressure washer for maintenance can crack the siding and lead to moisture intrusion if the pressure setting is high enough.
If your siding fits either of these descriptions you should consider having it tested.
Exposure to and breathing asbestos fibers can result in lung problems and cancer.
Some asphalt roof shingle products and therefore quite possibly some asphalt siding products did indeed contain asbestos fibers in their substrate or coating.
Asbestos cement siding is very brittle and can be easily chipped cracked or broken.
These shingles are generally 12 by 24 inches and the bottom tends to have a wave like pattern though that is not always the case.
Asbestos siding is composed of asbestos fibers mixed with portland cement.
Alternatively if you leave the asbestos on your home you can safely seal the old siding underneath the new siding and because asbestos is an excellent insulator you will actually be adding to the energy efficiency of your home by leaving it on.
Shingles placed on a roof before the mid 1980s might contain asbestos.
