Asbestos Asphalt Siding

Exposure to and breathing asbestos fibers can result in lung problems and cancer.

Asbestos asphalt siding.

Asbestos siding was made by adding asbestos a naturally occurring mineral to portland cement. The siding may also contain asbestos if it is old with a wood grain texture to resemble cedar. Shingles placed on a roof before the mid 1980s might contain asbestos. Because of its fire resistant properties asbestos was common in many home materials including roofing shingles.

Roof shingles even if the material contained asbestos which it might are rarely the only nor even the principal source of problem levels of asbestos fibers in a building and i suspect the same is true of asphalt based building siding. However asbestos fibers can cause serious lung and respiratory problems if inhaled. Paper like vapor barriers can present more of a hazard since they are considered friable. Use a flat pry bar to remove the asbestos siding or roofing material starting from the top.

Asbestos siding is composed of asbestos fibers mixed with portland cement. Rosato engineering consultant newton ma reinhold publishing 1959 library of congress catalog card no. Keep the asbestos material that has been removed wet. Testing your siding for asbestos.

The resulting product was very durable fire resistant and absorbed paint well. 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. Asphalt or cement roofing and siding that contain asbestos when intact and in good condition are generally considered nonfriable and are not hazardous. That cement was then pressed into siding shingles that came in a wide variety of sizes profiles and textures.

59 12535 out of print. Asbestos products and their history and use in various building materials such as asphalt and vinyl flooring includes discussion which draws on asbestos its industrial applications d v. Nonfriable means they cannot be broken up by hand pressure. 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. The use of a pressure washer for maintenance can crack the siding and lead to moisture intrusion if the pressure setting is high enough. 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. If your siding fits either of these descriptions you should consider having it tested.

Some asphalt roof shingle products and therefore quite possibly some asphalt siding products did indeed contain asbestos fibers in their substrate or coating.