Asphalt Asbestos Siding

Determine when the shingles were installed on your roof.

Asphalt asbestos siding.

Testing your siding for asbestos. 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. A brief history of asbestos cement siding. Wrap asbestos siding in 6 mil thick plastic sheeting and secure the plastic with duct tape or place the debris in heavy duty plastic bags.

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. If siding should begin to crack or crumble immediately wet the cracked or broken areas with the pint size spray bottle or garden pump sprayer. If you don t know the age of the shingles inspect them for wear. Keep the asbestos material that has been removed wet.

Asphalt or cement roofing and siding that contain asbestos when intact and in good condition are generally considered nonfriable and are not hazardous. Breakage releases asbestos fibers. Use a flat pry bar to remove the asbestos siding or roofing material starting from the top. Remove pieces of siding by pulling nails or cutting nail heads so as to minimize breakage.

Wet down the asbestos siding or roofing with a mixture of water and liquid soap in a pump up sprayer to limit dust. 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 siding may also contain asbestos if it is old with a wood grain texture to resemble cedar.

Asbestos cement is a mixture of portland cement reinforced with asbestos fibers. Asbestos shingles were so common during the 20th century that almost any shingles installed between 1920 and 1986 probably include asbestos. If your siding fits either of these descriptions you should consider having it tested. Nonfriable means they cannot be broken up by hand pressure.

The portland cement binds asbestos fibers into a hard mass. Weatherside fiber cement siding is the 1 and weatherside fiber cement siding is the 1 and only solution for replacing or repairing old asbestos siding shingles. If necessary carefully lift siding pieces with pry tool to expose nail heads. Asbestos cement was first developed in 1905 by the johns manville company who became one of the premier manufacturers of cement asbestos materials.