Asbestos siding was manufactured to resemble many different materials so it doesn t always look the same.
Is it asbestos siding.
Asbestos is a natural fibrous mineral used for insulation and fireproofing.
Most cases of mesothelioma asbestosis and other asbestos related diseases involve workers who are exposed to high levels of airborne asbestos fibers over long periods of time.
The reported costs for such projects range from 500 to 4 500 while the typical cost for asbestos siding removal is generally between 1 000 and 2 500.
Recognizing siding with asbestos.
Asbestos siding is composed of asbestos fibers mixed with portland cement.
Asbestos is an excellent electrical insulator and is highly heat.
Care and proper procedures should always be taken during removal and disposal but in general asbestos siding ranks very low on the list of materials that contain asbestos as far as danger and health risks.
Because fiber cement siding manufactured in north america after around 1978 was made without using asbestos in those later products and because those non asbestos fiber cement shingles included products that by eye were an exact visual match for their older asbestos containing brothers and sisters already installed a building built before 1978 and sided with cementious shingles.
Scraping or brushing off old paint from asbestos siding is necessary before repainting but dangerous because it can release small asbestos fibres the approach of removing the old shingles and replacing them with new siding is an option that many homeowners have pursued though probably not as safely as they should.
Asbestos siding is far less dangerous due to the fact that it installed outside and very few fibers are released even when siding shingles crack and break.
If a siding company removes an outer layer of siding and finds an older layer of asbestos cement siding beneath the standard procedure is simply to cover it over with new siding rather than remove it.
While older homes will likely contain asbestos in roofing insulation and tiles it can also be present in exterior siding.
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.
Most siding companies are well experienced at techniques for covering over existing asbestos cement siding with new vinyl aluminum or fiber cement siding.
When the fibers become airborne they pose health concerns.
Asbestos siding removal isn t free but if you re having it replaced with something else you just might be able to get a good deal with the company you end up choosing.
Asbestos only poses a health risk when the fibers are airborne and friable which in the case of asbestos siding only occurs if the siding is actively sawed or broken into many smaller pieces.
Look for a siding that is made to look like roof shingles.
