Living In A House With 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.

Living in a house with asbestos siding.

Exposure to and breathing asbestos fibers can result in lung problems and cancer. We were fully prepared to buy the house before we learned about the siding. The presence of asbestos cement siding should not necessarily be viewed as a serious problem. The siding seems to be in good shape but we would of course have this verified by an inspector.

Many houses built in the 20th century contain some level of asbestos and it is generally safe to live in them if you won t be doing any serious construction. If you have an older home with rigid metal ducts as shown above it might have the white fabric tape you see in the photo. 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. Asbestos siding can be very dangerous if handled improperly.

Asbestos siding is composed of asbestos fibers mixed with portland cement. If you are planning a remodel you ll need to check your local laws and hire the right professionals to assess the home and dispose of the waste correctly. One of the places you might find asbestos in a home is the duct system. When the asbestos containing material is disturbed deteriorating or broken however it can be harmful to your health.

If you live in an old house the chances are that you have been living with asbestos for some time. Saturday august 25 2018. The presence of asbestos cement siding in and of itself is not a serious drawback. There are hundreds of thousands of homes and garages with this siding material and when it is in good shape the health hazards are minimal.

Asbestos is only dangerous when cut sawn or broken into small enough pieces so that asbestos fibers are sent into the air. The white tape you see above is of the type that often contains asbestos although you don t really know without sending a sample to be tested in a lab. For example if you drill sand or cut these building materials it will produce a cloud of asbestos fibres that you or people living in your home may inhale. I don t know if this should be a dealbreaker or not.

1 some insurance companies will not insure a home with asbestos siding so it may increase the difficulty and cost of acquiring homeowner s insurance. It seems a silly question but is asbestos siding dangerous is an important topic to discuss.