Is Old Asbestos Siding Dangerous

If you suspect that your siding may contain asbestos there is no need for alarm.

Is old asbestos siding dangerous. Asbestos cement can be dangerous if pulverized by sawing sanding breaking etc. Asbestos cement siding is very brittle and can be easily chipped cracked or broken. Asbestos ranks high on the list of dangerous substances because of its toxic and carcinogenic properties when airborne. Cement asbestos siding is non organic and so it does not decay and actually holds paint quite well which by the way is not dangerous contrary to what you have been told.

The use of a pressure washer for maintenance can crack the siding and lead to moisture intrusion if the pressure setting is high enough. 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. Safely removing asbestos siding. Quite apparent i am still above ground seventy years later.

Asbestos siding removal isn t free but if you re having it replaced with something else you just might be able to get a good deal with the company you end up choosing. Seventy years ago we used to throw chunks of asbestos siding in a bonfire to hear them explode. While older homes will likely contain asbestos in roofing insulation and tiles it can also be present in exterior siding. If it is intact and in good condition siding can be safely painted or new replacement siding can be installed over the old asbestos siding.

Scraping or brushing off old paint from asbestos siding is necessary before repainting but dangerous because it can release small asbestos fibres the approach of removing the old shingles and replacing them with new siding is an option that many homeowners have pursued though probably not as safely as they should.