Asbestos Singles Under Siding

The first layer is wood shakes some of which are rotten and termite damaged.

Asbestos singles under siding.

Asbestos cement siding is very brittle and can be easily chipped cracked or broken. It has also been used extensively in fiber cement siding which can make applying a top coat of exterior paint a stressful event. Over that wood layer is asbestos siding. But damaging the shingles can release some of the fibers.

Siding shingles are nonfriable because the asbestos fibers are held in place by a cement binder in the shingles. Asbestos is an older material that was commonly used in siding and insulation for houses. This way you ll avoid the hazardous dust created by tearing the shingles off. The pieces are about 20 x 10.

Exposure to and breathing asbestos fibers can result in lung problems and cancer. The siding was made by combining cement with asbestos which is a naturally occurring mineral that is fibrous in nature and fireproof. It was a very effective insulation but it has the unfortunate side effect of causing cancer. You can t drive screws and nails through them without pre drilling.

Instead cover the shingles with polystyrene foam insulation panels then hang the new vinyl siding using 2 in long nails. Asbestos cement can be dangerous if pulverized by sawing sanding breaking etc. 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. 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.

The most common and least expensive solution is to leave the original asbestos shingles in place and remove only the aluminum siding. In other communities the material is removed and hauled to a landfill. This would trigger dust and asbestos dust is a problem as i ve mentioned. In some locations a costly and arduous asbestos air monitoring as well as special demolition methods may be required wetting for example and the material is disposed of in a hazmat waste sit.

Demolition requirements for cement asbestos siding vary by where you live. Covering old asbestos shingles with new siding may seem like an option too but it s not easy to do safely. Removing asbestos is often cost prohibitive for most people. It has two layers of siding on it.

Asbestos siding is composed of asbestos fibers mixed with portland cement. So whether the shingles.