Intact asbestos siding on your home poses no health risk as long as it is undisturbed.
Asbestos siding is it dangerous.
As for handling it you do need to take a few precautions.
Asbestos cement can be dangerous if pulverized by sawing sanding breaking etc.
Read more about it in the sections below.
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.
Scraping or brushing off old paint from asbestos siding is necessary before repainting but dangerous because it can release small asbestos fibres.
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.
As for handling it you do need to take a few precautions.
It is difficult.
It can cause cancer if airborne if the fibers become airborne inhalation of the fibers can cause cancer.
Even if airborne many studies of asbestos workers indicate that it takes more than a casual exposure to asbestos dust to cause disease.
In fact both osha and the epa concur that asbestos is not dangerous unless airborne.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral made up of long thin fibres which can be dangerous if they are inhaled as dust.
The use of a pressure washer for maintenance can crack the siding and lead to moisture intrusion if the pressure.
Asbestos siding is composed of asbestos fibers mixed with portland cement.
Exposure to and breathing asbestos fibers can result in lung problems and cancer.
Asbestos siding is far less dangerous due to the fact that it installed outside and very few fibers are released even when siding shingles crack and break.
Asbestos cement siding is very brittle and can be easily chipped cracked or broken.
The real safety issue with asbestos is when large amounts of it are removed indoors and proper protocol and equipment is not used to capture and collect all asbestos fibers released.
They contribute to increased risk of lung cancer asbestosis scarring of.
Mesothelioma and other cancers as well as asbestosis and other lung diseases are a serious danger after continued long term exposure to fibers from asbestos containing materials acms.
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.
With the pros being mentioned about asbestos siding it s also important to mention the cons since there s a reason why the material was banned in many countries.