Is Broken Asbestos Siding Dangerous
Asbestos cement siding is very brittle and can be easily chipped cracked or broken.
Is broken asbestos siding dangerous. If asbestos remains intact in siding insulation popcorn ceilings or other materials it poses no risk and is not dangerous. Burying asbestos whether it s in a garden farm or public land is incredibly dangerous not only for yourself but for other people who may disturb the soil at a. But now i am quite paranoid and am wondering just how dangerous this actually was. Asbestos cement can be dangerous if pulverized by sawing sanding breaking etc.
The use of a pressure washer for maintenance can crack the siding and lead to moisture intrusion if the pressure setting is high enough. Asbestos only poses a health risk when the fibers are airborne and friable which in the case of asbestos siding only occurs if the siding is actively sawed or broken into many smaller pieces. Asbestos is safe as long as it s not airborne and you don t inhale it. Will not release asbestos fibers unless they are disturbed or damaged in some way.
Cracked broken pieces etc. That creates airborne asbestos particles you can inhale. Do not release sufficient particles. Now if you decide to sand it then you got a problem.
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. Asbestos containing ceiling tiles floor tiles undamaged laboratory cabinet tops shingles fire doors siding shingles etc. Asbestos insulation is much much different. The problems arise with the siding contractors that were exposed to it and cutting it over long periods of time which have over time led to a lot of case of mesothelioma.
If an asbestos ceiling tile is drilled or broken for example it may release fibers into the air. Cement asbestos siding is non organic and so it does not decay and actually holds paint quite well which by the way is not dangerous contrary to what you have been told. Wed jun 26 2019 06 00. Asbestos floor tile is not.
Asbestos is only dangerous when cut sawn or broken into small enough pieces so that asbestos fibers are sent into the air. You have nothing to worry about whatsoever. The general impression of asbestos has changed over time so that many people now wrongly assuming that it is a highly dangerous toxic substance that must be immediately removed. Hi there about a year or two ago my husband decided to do some diy around the garage s asbestos roof corrugated panels.
Virtually zero risk with asbestos siding. As for handling it you do need to take a few precautions.