Asbestos Asphalt Shingle Siding

Manufactured from a mix of asbestos fibers and hydraulic cement asbestos cement roof shingles were rigid durable and fireproof.

Asbestos asphalt shingle siding.

The use of a pressure washer for maintenance can crack the siding and lead to moisture intrusion if the pressure setting is high enough. From the 1940 s to perhaps the early 1970 s it was popular to cover peeling wood clapboard buildings with this durable material. The national emissions standards for hazardous air pollutants neshap identifies several asphalt containing roofing products that may also contain asbestos including. Nonfriable means they cannot be broken up by hand pressure.

Because of its fire resistant properties asbestos was common in many home materials including roofing shingles. However asbestos fibers can cause serious lung and respiratory problems if inhaled. You can t drive screws and nails through them without pre drilling. Some asphalt siding may contain asbestos in the asphalt impregnated felt backer or asbestos may also be in the asphalt impregnated paper tar paper or felt used as a house wrap under the siding.

It is very difficult to remove spray paint graffiti without also dissolving or discoloring some of the siding surface coating material itself. Asbestos was used in asphalt based roofing products such as asphalt roofing or siding shingles in north america as early as 1891 and continued into the early 1980 s. The building shown at left located in hughsonville ny using the thatch edged shingle siding style is almost certainly sided with asbestos cement shingles. Let the siding dry then prime and paint with the best exterior latex you can find.

Covering old asbestos shingles with new siding may seem like an option too but it s not easy to do safely. Asphalt based roof shingle material on an organic paper mat or asphalt on hardboard siding products were later supplanted by cement asbestos siding shingles then aluminum siding and steel siding then currently by vinyl siding. Asphalt or cement roofing and siding that contain asbestos when intact and in good condition are generally considered nonfriable and are not hazardous. Unlike some of the original siding shingles that it replaces weatherside pre primed siding shingles contain no asbestos.

Weatherside is even resistant to warping denting rotting expansion contraction and termite infiltration. They would not warp or rot and were resistant to damage caused by insects. Shingles placed on a roof before the mid 1980s might contain asbestos. Asbestos cement can be dangerous if pulverized by sawing sanding breaking etc.

Paper like vapor barriers can present more of a hazard since they are considered friable.