Asbesto Siding Drilling

Asbestos siding was made by adding asbestos a naturally occurring mineral to portland cement.

Asbesto siding drilling. Asbestos cement can be dangerous if pulverized by sawing sanding breaking etc. Otherwise this work would be a class ii asbestos operation. Standard procedure for drilling transite is to spray the area with a squirt bottle with paper towels underneath to catch the droppings and drill relatively slowly while continuously spraying the area. 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.

The preference is to remove the material without any drilling and replace it with a non acm. The use of a pressure washer for maintenance can crack the siding and lead to moisture intrusion if the pressure setting is high enough. Drilling asbestos containing material acm drilling of acm for any purpose is not encouraged by worksafe. Asbestos cement siding is very brittle and can be easily chipped cracked or broken.

However the regulations do not prohibit drilling into acm as long as the task is controlled in accordance with the regulations. Health risks with asbestos siding according to the epa exposure to asbestos can lead to lung diseases like lung cancer mesothelioma and asbestosis. Asbestos shingles are relatively strong but brittle. If it was your job you would have to wear ppe but if your only doing it the one time your probably fine.

While these are obviously terrible diseases the risk associated with exposure from asbestos cement siding isn t that great unless you re cutting drilling or removing damaged siding. Removal of or drilling through asbestos containing floor tile and or mastic is a class iii operation under the osha asbestos standard for construction 29 cfr 1926 1101 as long as the amount of asbestos containing debris from the work can be contained in one standard sized waste bag not exceeding 60 inches in length and width. That cement was then pressed into siding shingles that came in a wide. If using the screws just drill thru the siding with the 1 4 bit then switch to the appropriate size drill bit and drill a pilot hole for the screw thru the sheathing for the plugs drill the 1 4 bit thru the siding and sheathing then just push in the plugs until they are seated to the face of the shutter don t hang them too tight or you will distort them.