Asbestos Siding And Asphalt Siding House

Asbestos siding is composed of asbestos fibers mixed with portland cement.

Asbestos siding and asphalt siding house.

Lead paint wasn t outlawed until 1978 so it s sure to be present on siding going back to the 1950s. 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 cement siding is very brittle and can be easily chipped cracked or broken. Asbestos siding was essentially a cement siding product that asbestos fibers had been added to.

The use of a pressure washer for maintenance can crack the siding and lead to moisture intrusion if the pressure setting is high enough. 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. Covering old asbestos shingles with new siding may seem like an option too but it s not easy to do safely. This was done in order to add fireproofing and stability to cement siding so that it wouldn t crack or break as easily.

Exposure to and breathing asbestos fibers can result in lung problems and cancer. Asbestos shingles are relatively strong but. Nonfriable means they cannot be broken up by hand pressure. Some homeowners opt to cover their asbestos containing siding with vinyl siding sheets or other materials in order to minimize risk instead of leaving their siding untouched.

Asphalt or cement roofing and siding that contain asbestos when intact and in good condition are generally considered nonfriable and are not hazardous. If your siding is in good condition and intact the asbestos poses a relatively low health risk to your home and the environment. It is very difficult to remove spray paint graffiti without also dissolving or discoloring some of the siding surface coating material itself. Asphalt based roof shingle material on an organic paper mat or asphalt on hardboard siding products were later supplanted by cement asbestos siding shingles then aluminum siding and steel siding then currently by vinyl siding.

The first option is to do nothing. Paper like vapor barriers can present more of a hazard since they are considered friable. Asbestos cement can be dangerous if pulverized by sawing sanding breaking etc. Some asphalt siding may contain asbestos in the asphalt impregnated felt backer or asbestos may also be in the asphalt impregnated paper tar paper or felt used as a house wrap under the siding.