Asbestos Siding And Asphalt Siding House

The first option is to do nothing.

Asbestos siding and asphalt siding house.

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. Asbestos cement siding is very brittle and can be easily chipped cracked or broken. Asbestos shingles are relatively strong but. Asbestos house siding was used in many homes until the epa banned its use in new products in 1989.

The use of a pressure washer for maintenance can crack the siding and lead to moisture intrusion if the pressure setting is high enough. Asphalt or cement roofing and siding that contain asbestos when intact and in good condition are generally considered nonfriable and are not hazardous. Let the siding dry then prime and paint with the best exterior latex you can find. 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.

Exposure to and breathing asbestos fibers can result in lung problems and cancer. This was done in order to add fireproofing and stability to cement siding so that it wouldn t crack or break as easily. Asbestos siding is composed of asbestos fibers mixed with portland cement. If your siding is in good condition and intact the asbestos poses a relatively low health risk to your home and the environment.

Asbestos siding was essentially a cement siding product that asbestos fibers had been added to. 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. Removing asbestos is often cost prohibitive for most people. It is very difficult to remove spray paint graffiti without also dissolving or discoloring some of the siding surface coating material itself.

Covering old asbestos shingles with new siding may seem like an option too but it s not easy to do safely. Asbestos cement can be dangerous if pulverized by sawing sanding breaking etc. 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. Paper like vapor barriers can present more of a hazard since they are considered friable.