Asbestos Siding Description

The portland cement binds asbestos fibers into a hard mass.

Asbestos siding description.

That cement was then pressed into siding shingles that came in a wide. On the general risk scale of dealing with materials that contain asbestos siding ranks very low and is far less risky and dangerous than asbestos in insulation sheetrock or pipewrap. Covering old asbestos shingles with new siding may seem like an option too but it s not easy to do safely. Asbestos shingles are relatively strong but brittle.

Asbestos siding was made by adding asbestos a naturally occurring mineral to portland cement. If your siding has these characteristics then asbestos could be present. Cementious siding and roofing such as fiber cement siding lap siding and fiber cement roof shingles containing asbestos may then have appeared on homes constructed between 1906 and 1980 in north america and continuing later in some other countries. A brief history of asbestos cement siding.

Asbestos cement is a mixture of portland cement reinforced with asbestos fibers. Look for asbestos markings on the roofing or siding material or the packages in which they came or call the manufacturer. Let the siding dry then prime and paint with the best exterior latex you can find. Another alternative is to hire a minnesota certified asbestos inspector to sample the material and submit it for laboratory analysis.

Since it doesn t expand or contract with the outside temperature asbestos siding makes a good base for paint. Adding asbestos makes cement more durable weatherproof and heat resistant and because asbestos cement sheets are fireproof builders initially considered them a much safer material than wood. Lead paint wasn t outlawed until 1978 so it s sure to be present on siding going back to the 1950s. Put on a mask and scrape away some siding material into a baggie.

You may choose to take a sample of siding from a damaged area of siding. Siding is by nature very durable and it s difficult for fibers to become airborne. Asbestos siding is a cement based siding that contains asbestos. Asbestos was particularly prevalent in siding that resembles shingles or was made to look like wood grain.

Asbestos cement was first developed in 1905 by the johns manville company who became one of the premier manufacturers of cement asbestos materials. Asbestos siding was very commonly used in buildings and homes from around the 1920s until the 1980s and can still be found in many older homes in the u s.