Asbestos Siding -- What to Do?
I have a circa 1900 vintage duplex with asbestos-cement shingle siding. Lots of the shingles are damaged.
Any options other than vinyl siding the whole thing?
I have a circa 1900 vintage duplex with asbestos-cement shingle siding. Lots of the shingles are damaged.
Any options other than vinyl siding the whole thing?
I heard some time ago that someone was making a fiberglass look alike.
You may not be out of the woods with vynal over loose asbestos anyway . To put an end user into that house you will have to disclose asbestos because it is known. The damaged or nailed through asbestos will discharge particails. Vynal has weep holes on the bottom so it is not encapsolated unless you can sell the idea of tyvec or polystyrean house wrap and tape. Some buyers are moore concerned with hazords than others. If you disclose and sell an idea on encapsuling that will work. If an occupant ever gets sick YOU ARE HIT>
My recomondation would be repair paint and disclose or full abatement with a clean bill of health.
Check with your state's environmental protection agency about local regulations. In some areas, homeowners are allowed to remove the asbestos siding as long as they keep it wet (to keep the fibers from becoming airborne) and wear a respirator while working. There are more requirements than that, but that's the general idea. Here is what Maine requires: http://www.state.me.us/dep/rwm/asbestos/#Asbestos%20Siding%20Removals
Unless the asbestos-containing material is flaking (whether it's siding, flooring, piping, or whatever), it's generally safer to leave it in place. Once you put vinyl siding over it, nothing will be able to disturb it, so it shouldn't present a hazard. It won't be "encapsulated", but it will be protected. Some people put plywood sheathing over it before the vinyl, so you don't have pieces of the old siding sliding down when the vinyl is applied.
Nearly every 1950s-era non-brick home that I've looked at here in Atlanta has asbestos siding, and it's usually covered with vinyl. One of my rentals is this way, and I had no problem with the appraisal or the mortgage, and I've never heard of anyone else having a problem either.
[ Edited by tmratl on Date 06/20/2003 ][ Edited by tmratl on Date 06/20/2003 ]
I did some searching on the net. GAF makes a replacement shingle out of cement and fiber. I'll post more when I find out.
I like that plywood over idea.