Asbestos In House Siding

Asbestos house siding was used in many homes until the epa banned its use in new products in 1989.

Asbestos in house siding.

In fact asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that was added to portland cement between the 1920s and 1980s. Asbestos siding was very commonly used in buildings and homes from around the 1920s until the 1980s and can still be found in many older homes in the u s. Asbestos ranks high on the list of dangerous substances because of its toxic and carcinogenic properties when airborne. Asbestos cement siding is very brittle and can be easily chipped cracked or broken.

Asbestos cement can be dangerous if pulverized by sawing sanding breaking etc. In the past asbestos fibers were added during the production of roofing and siding materials to strengthen them to increase their durability and to provide a limited amount of insulation and fireproofing to your home. The material is quite similar to cement asbestos roof shingles and siding and was produced in sheets of varying thickness typically 1 8 1 4 and dimension depending on its intended use. A highly effective and inexpensive fire retardant material and thermal and acoustic insulator asbestos was used extensively in home construction from the early 1940s through the 1970s.

If you suspect that your siding may contain asbestos there is no need for alarm. This is when the asbestos containing materials get damaged and aerosolized and people working or living in the house are at risk of exposure. Portland cement is still used to this day in mixing with other materials to create fiber cement siding that in turn is installed by fiber cement siding contractors. Lead paint wasn t outlawed until 1978 so it s sure to be present on siding going back to the 1950s.

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. The use of a pressure washer for maintenance can crack the siding and lead to moisture intrusion if the pressure setting is high enough. Asbestos siding was essentially a cement siding product that asbestos fibers had been added to.

Asbestos millboard is a cementious product that was produced in sheets and used for fire barriers and in other applications. The use of asbestos in roofing and siding materials has declined rapidly since the early 1980s. If the asbestos fibers are not likely to become air borne then you are safe. The name has its origin in the greek word for inextinguishable.

Let the siding dry then prime and paint with the best exterior latex you can find. While older homes will likely contain asbestos in roofing insulation and tiles it can also be present in exterior siding. Asbestos house siding was used for many decades in the u s.