Homeowners are well-advised to ignore contractors who claim that all asbestos-containing materials in homes must be removed. Ken Giles, spokesman for the Consumer Product Safety Commission, says this may be true for loose or damaged materials, but the best way to handle asbestos siding is to leave it alone. Shingles contain non-friable asbestos, which means its fibers aren’t released unless they are sawed, drilled, cut or broken.

 

Friable Asbestos

Friable means that a material is able to be reduced to a powder by hand pressure. Asbestos containing materials (ACM) that are friable have a much greater tendency to release fibers into the air. Conversely, non-friable asbestos containing materials, because of their nature, do not easily release their fibers into the air. This class of material must be mechanically impacted (with power tools such as sanders, drills, chippers, saws, etc.) to release fibers. ACM floors, mastics, and siding are classified as non-friable materials.

 

Keeping Asbestos Siding Intact

There are other ways to keep asbestos materials like siding intact, including encapsulating or covering the siding. To encapsulate, paint the siding with a latex masonry primer and high-quality latex paint. Don’t sand or scrape the shingles. To prepare the siding, scrub it with a soap-and-water solution, then rinse with a hose.

 

To cover asbestos siding, install insulation board and vinyl siding over the shingles. Make sure screws penetrate at least 3/4 inch into the wall studs.

 

Asbestos Removal

Removal is the most expensive solution and should be the last resort unless it’s required by state or local regulations, or if you're considering a major exterior renovation, such as a large addition. Asbestos removal must be done by a certified contractor (look under “Asbestos” in the yellow pages). Improper removal is illegal and increases the health risks.

 

Removing Asbestos Siding

Once you have determined, either for safety or aesthetics that you need new siding, unless you are specifically trained in handling asbestos removal, you should contact a service professional. This professional should be specifically trained and should have obtained any state licensing and/or certifications.

 

Not only does improper asbestos siding removal endanger the person or persons working with the material, but most states require the asbestos siding be disposed in pre-approved dumpsites that are specially equipped to handle the dangerous material. Both the delicate nature of this removal process and transporting the material to an appropriate site contribute to the considerable expense of asbestos siding removal.

 

Thus, finding a competent professional is important not only for safety reasons, not only for legal reasons, but also because a competent, trustworthy professional will be able to tell you whether your best option is to remove the asbestos siding or to seal it in with new asbestos-free siding. As a homeowner, you always want to be safe, but you also don't want to spend extra money needlessly.