Old Asbestos Square Siding

As long as the siding remains intact it can stay.

Old asbestos square siding.

The minute you start removing it you ll disturb the asbestos and need professional abatement. Originally asbestos siding was used because of the fire resistant properties of asbestos. Covering old asbestos shingles with new siding may seem like an option too but it s not easy to do safely. Exposure to and breathing asbestos fibers can result in lung problems and cancer.

Weatherside is even resistant to warping denting rotting expansion contraction and termite infiltration. You can t drive screws and nails through them without pre drilling. Asbestos cement can be dangerous if pulverized by sawing sanding breaking etc. This would trigger dust and asbestos dust is a problem as i ve mentioned.

Asbestos siding never needs to be removed simply because it is asbestos. If installing new siding you can install it over the existing asbestos siding as long as the existing siding is flat. Asbestos siding was used extensively in buildings and homes from the 1930s until the 1970s when it s use was banned. It s available in a variety of sizes and shapes to match many of the old siding shingles installed over the last 60 years.

Unlike some of the original siding shingles that it replaces weatherside pre primed siding shingles contain no asbestos. Weatherside fiber cement siding is the 1 and only solution for replacing or repairing old asbestos siding shingles. 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. In fact you may be able to install new siding on top of the asbestos siding no removal necessary.

The use of a pressure washer for maintenance can crack the siding and lead to moisture intrusion if the pressure setting is high enough. Asbestos shingles are relatively strong but brittle. 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. About asbestos siding asbestos siding is composed of asbestos fibers mixed with portland cement.

However if you want to remove you have two options.