Asbestos siding was made by adding asbestos a naturally occurring mineral to portland cement.
Asbestos asphalt siding.
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.
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.
Asbestos cement can be dangerous if pulverized by sawing sanding breaking etc.
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Because of its fire resistant properties asbestos was common in many home materials including roofing shingles.
Shingles placed on a roof before the mid 1980s might contain 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.
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.
Paper like vapor barriers can present more of a hazard since they are considered friable.
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Some asphalt roof shingle products and therefore quite possibly some asphalt siding products did indeed contain asbestos fibers in their substrate or coating.
Exposure to and breathing asbestos fibers can result in lung problems and cancer.
Testing your siding for asbestos.
Asphalt or cement roofing and siding that contain asbestos when intact and in good condition are generally considered nonfriable and are not hazardous.
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.
Nonfriable means they cannot be broken up by hand pressure.
Keep the asbestos material that has been removed wet.
Wet down the asbestos siding or roofing with a mixture of water and liquid soap in a pump up sprayer to limit dust.
If your siding fits either of these descriptions you should consider having it tested.
Asbestos cement siding is very brittle and can be easily chipped cracked or broken.
The siding may also contain asbestos if it is old with a wood grain texture to resemble cedar.
However asbestos fibers can cause serious lung and respiratory problems if inhaled.
Removing asbestos is often cost prohibitive for most people.
That cement was then pressed into siding shingles that came in a wide variety of sizes profiles and textures.
