Asbestos Fiber Siding
Exposure to and breathing asbestos fibers can result in lung problems and cancer.
Asbestos fiber siding. Weatherside fiber cement siding is the one and weatherside fiber cement siding is the one and only solution for replacing or repairing old asbestos siding shingles. It was a very effective insulation but it has the unfortunate side effect of causing cancer. A common remodeling practice is to install new vinyl or aluminum siding over cement asbestos shingle siding as well as over many other older siding materials when the old siding has become damaged leaky or cosmetically ugly. Asbestos siding is composed of asbestos fibers mixed with portland cement.
Siding materials that use fibers and aggregate other than asbestos are properly called fiber cement building siding products. Some manufacturers use the term fiber reinforced cement for these products. These materials are known as. It s available in a variety of sizes and shapes to match many of the old siding shingles installed over the last 60 years.
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. Homes built between 1920 and the 1960s are likely to contain asbestos in any cementitious siding tiles. While older homes will likely contain asbestos in roofing insulation and tiles it can also be present in exterior siding. The common reinforcing fiber used was asbestos.
Guide to siding over asbestos cement siding. Weatherside fiber cement siding is the 1 and only solution for replacing or repairing old asbestos siding shingles. It has also been used extensively in fiber cement siding which can make applying a top coat of exterior paint a stressful event. Asbestos is an older material that was commonly used in siding and insulation for houses.
Keep these points in mind if you are worried about asbestos cement siding. All of these products use some sort of fiber along with cement. Cementitious siding installed after 1973 is very unlikely to contain asbestos. 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.
Before 1978 in the u s. If you suspect that your siding may contain asbestos there is no need for alarm. It is available in a variety of sizes and shapes to match many of the old siding shingles installed over the last 60 years.