Does My Siding Contain Asbestos

Asbestos siding is composed of asbestos fibers mixed with portland cement.

Does my siding contain asbestos.

While older homes will likely contain asbestos in roofing insulation and tiles it can also be present in exterior siding. The siding may also contain asbestos if it is old with a wood grain texture to resemble cedar. 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. Some asphalt roof shingle products and therefore quite possibly some asphalt siding products did indeed contain asbestos fibers in their substrate or coating.

There is no legal requirement to do so nor is there significant real estate benefit. It was a popular additive to various housing materials from the 1920 s to the 1960 s. It comes in the form of fiber and has a high fire retardant property which serves as a good reinforcement for concrete. Sometimes asbestos containing roofing and siding can be covered with new materials.

Damaged roofing and siding should be carefully repaired. Testing your siding for asbestos if your siding fits either of these descriptions you should consider having it tested. The only reliable way to know if your home contains asbestos is to hire an environmental consulting firm or asbestos building inspector for asbestos testing. However asbestos fibers can cause serious lung and respiratory problems if inhaled.

If you suspect that your siding may contain asbestos there is no need for alarm. Cementious siding and roofing such as fiber cement siding lap siding and fiber cement roof shingles containing asbestos may then have appeared on homes constructed between 1906 and 1980 in north america and contining later in some other countries. You can t see or smell asbestos but exposure to loose fibers can cause lung disease such as mesothelioma asbestosis or lung cancer. Exposure to and breathing asbestos fibers can result in lung problems and cancer.

Shingles placed on a roof before the mid 1980s might contain asbestos. Cementitious siding installed after 1973 is very unlikely to contain asbestos. Asbestos containing roofing and siding in good condition are best left alone. Cement asbestos siding tiles do not need to be removed simply because they contain asbestos.

They ll take fingernail sized samples and test them in a laboratory. Asbestos ranks high on the list of dangerous substances because of its toxic and carcinogenic properties when airborne. Just having asbestos siding and roofing on your home does not pose a hazard to your health. These materials are known as fiber cement siding and they contain no asbestos.