Some roofing and siding shingles are made of asbestos cement.
Asbestos roof tiles nz.
Review of the scientific evidence of non occupational risks.
However a health risk arises when asbestos fibres become airborne and can be breathed into the lungs.
Tiles which contain asbestos include mastic or bitumen based pressed metal roof tiles that were produced prior to the early 1980s.
But other types of roof tiles containing asbestos also exist.
Chrysotile asbestos is the type usually present in asbestos containing materials in new zealand houses.
There are no risks associated with pressed metal roof tiles containing asbestos if they remain in good condition and are left undisturbed.
You will find that existing asbestos roofs have probably been in place for many years and in the case of the new zealand naval dockyards the material had weathered and protected their facilities for close on 65 years right on the coast in the most severe environment with no corrosion or breakdown of the substrate.
Asbestos was used in vinyl wallpaper from the 1920s and in the vinyl floor tiles and sheet flooring that rose to prominence in the 1950s.
All mastic or bitumen based pressed metal roof tiles should be suspected of containing asbestos.
The fibres of health significance are those that can be inhaled.
Asbestos cement materials will typically last about 50 60 years.
Asbestos is found in some vinyl floor tiles and linoleum and as backing on vinyl sheet flooring and adhesives.
Asbestos exposure in new zealand.
However if the roof is in good condition it may not need to be disturbed so long as it is properly and regularly maintained.
That s not surprising as asbestos has so far been identified in around 3800 different building products used in new zealand homes and commercial buildings from lino flooring to roofing tiles to.
Any asbestos cement roofing that shows evidence of damage such as broken roofing or noticeable surface weathering may need to be replaced.
Examples of asbestos in homes.
Chrysotile fibres tend to break across the fibre so become shorter and remain thicker than the crocidolite and amosite fibres.
They do not need to be removed solely because of the presence of asbestos.
Decramastic tiles asbestos asbestos in early pressed metal stone coated roofing tiles prior to early 1980s some versions of mastic or bitumen based pressed metal roof tiles produced prior to the early 1980s contain asbestos.