Identifying Asbestos Siding

What does asbestos siding look like and how to identify it.

Identifying asbestos siding.

Since asbestos was included as an additive when siding was manufactured for many decades the odds are good that original shingle siding on holder homes may contain asbestos. It does have some characteristics too look for. Identifying asbestos siding is impossible unless you have a sample tested in a lab. It is ususally in a shingle shake form 12 x24.

Asbestos was used to make several exterior materials. Most older cement board products contain asbestos. It can be hard to just visually be able to identify if a material contains asbestos or not since there s not a specific thing that it looks like. Most siding created after the 1960s did not include asbestos.

Step 3 look for asbestos cement shingles a mixture of asbestos fibers and cement or asbestos cement corrugated roofing which is thicker and more often found on old sheds barns and low income housing. Asbestos siding was made by adding asbestos a naturally occurring mineral to portland cement. Recognizing siding with asbestos asbestos siding was manufactured to resemble many different materials so it doesn t always look the same. While older homes will likely contain asbestos in roofing insulation and tiles it can also be present in exterior siding.

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. It may be smooth or have a pressed wood grain pattern on the surface of the board. Identifying asbestos siding is a major concern for many homeowners with older homes that have cement siding. Roofing adhesives roofing felt and base flashing also might include asbestos.

The only true way to identify asbestos siding is to have it tested. While an expert lab test using polarized light microscopy may be needed to identify the specific type of asbestos fiber or to identify the presence of asbestos in air or dust samples many asbestos containing building products not only are obvious and easy to recognize but since there were not other look alike products that were not asbestos a visual identification of this material can be virtually a certainty in many cases. Look specifically for any printed information that identifies the siding manufacturer or date of installation. Asbestos ranks high on the list of dangerous substances because of its toxic and carcinogenic properties when airborne.

Determine the age of your home by looking at the property deed or any other records about its construction. Asbestos was also put into cement used on the exterior of buildings to help insulate the. However there are some different things you can be looking for to figure out if it contains it or not at least when it comes to shingles. Roofing and siding shingles are among the most common materials to contain asbestos and will readily release fibers into the air if broken.

Look for a siding that is made to look like roof shingles.