Is It Asbestos Siding

Asbestos siding was manufactured to resemble many different materials so it doesn t always look the same.

Is it asbestos siding.

The reported costs for such projects range from 500 to 4 500 while the typical cost for asbestos siding removal is generally between 1 000 and 2 500. 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 you suspect that your siding may contain asbestos there is no need for alarm. æ s ˈ b ɛ s t ə s or æ s ˈ b ɛ s t ɒ s is a term used to refer to six naturally occurring silicate minerals all are composed of long and thin fibrous crystals each fibre being composed of many microscopic fibrils that can be released into the atmosphere by abrasion and other processes.

Most siding companies are well experienced at techniques for covering over existing asbestos cement siding with new vinyl aluminum or fiber cement siding. Recognizing siding with asbestos. When the fibers become airborne they pose health concerns. Asbestos only poses a health risk when the fibers are airborne and friable which in the case of asbestos siding only occurs if the siding is actively sawed or broken into many smaller pieces.

Asbestos siding is far less dangerous due to the fact that it installed outside and very few fibers are released even when siding shingles crack and break. Care and proper procedures should always be taken during removal and disposal but in general asbestos siding ranks very low on the list of materials that contain asbestos as far as danger and health risks. Asbestos is a natural fibrous mineral used for insulation and fireproofing. Most cases of mesothelioma asbestosis and other asbestos related diseases involve workers who are exposed to high levels of airborne asbestos fibers over long periods of time.

If a siding company removes an outer layer of siding and finds an older layer of asbestos cement siding beneath the standard procedure is simply to cover it over with new siding rather than remove it. Because fiber cement siding manufactured in north america after around 1978 was made without using asbestos in those later products and because those non asbestos fiber cement shingles included products that by eye were an exact visual match for their older asbestos containing brothers and sisters already installed a building built before 1978 and sided with cementious shingles. Look for a siding that is made to look like roof shingles. Asbestos is an excellent electrical insulator and is highly heat.

While older homes will likely contain asbestos in roofing insulation and tiles it can also be present in exterior siding. Asbestos ranks high on the list of dangerous substances because of its toxic and carcinogenic properties when airborne.