How Do I Know If My House Has Asbestos Siding

The danger comes from asbestos material that has been damaged over time.

How do i know if my house has asbestos siding. These shingles are generally 12 by 24 inches and the bottom tends to have a wave like pattern though that is not always the case. Just to make things more complicated asbestos siding doesn t always look the same. Testing your siding for asbestos. Vinyl flooring tiles with millboard or paper were often made of asbestos.

If they look old they might have asbestos fibers in them. Asbestos wasn t always added to cement siding and there s no way to tell from a visual test or physical inspection on site if siding really does have asbestos in it. Although homes built after the 1980s are generally safe some newer builds may also have asbestos lurking in the siding. Asbestos shingles were so common during the 20th century that almost any shingles installed between 1920 and 1986 probably include asbestos.

Determine when the shingles were installed on your roof. They ll take fingernail sized samples and test them in a laboratory. The only reliable way to know if your home contains asbestos is to hire an environmental consulting firm or asbestos building inspector for asbestos testing. You can get exposed to asbestos if the building materials containing asbestos get damaged or broken in any way.

You can t see or smell asbestos but exposure to loose fibers can cause lung disease such as mesothelioma asbestosis or lung cancer. Also look around the siding roofing and soffit materials for small dimples or shallow craters on the surface which are signs of asbestos. Identifying asbestos siding the only way to be sure if your siding has asbestos in it is to collect a sample and send it to an accredited testing lab. If your siding fits either of these descriptions you should consider having it tested.

According to the vinyl siding institute a national trade organization asbestos siding is a regulated material and the appropriate environmental agency or local building code official. The siding may also contain asbestos if it is old with a wood grain texture to resemble cedar. Vinyl flooring or sheeting. So it s important that you get your house tested for asbestos if it was constructed before the 1980s.

Even re siding over existing asbestos siding that is left in place requires approval and safe handling. How do i know if asbestos is in my house. Asbestos that crumbles easily if handled or that has been sawed scraped or sanded into a powder is likely to release asbestos fibers and create a health hazard. If you suspect a part.

Check for tears abrasions or water damage. Have an asbestos abatement contractor do it for you. If you don t know the age of the shingles inspect them for wear. If you aren t sure about the exact composition of your siding you should check to make sure.