Asbestos Siding
what is standard method to replace. removal or cover over the top of?
Going to looka t one like this tonight.....half hour from now.....it has asbestos siding on it now. If i move on this...i will be updatiing to vinyl siding...do I need to remove th asbestos or just cover it with the new siding? 
I was looking at somthing like this also a few months ago.. You can just cover it up in mass, because its outdoors and ventilated. You may want to , however, check with the board of health and building inspectors office before you make your offer. You may be able to get the house cheaper because of this though.
[addsig]
If I may enlighten a few people on asbestos.........
First of all there are basically two ways that asbestos products (for construction) were made.
You have encapsulated type products, such as shingles and siding and you have non-encapsulated asbestos products such as insulation products around pipes and duct work.
It is the non-encapsulated products that supposedly present a health problem.
The encapsulated products are fine as long as you do not grind and pulverize those products.
The sad thing with the encapsulated products, such as shingles, is that they often outlast the majority of newer products on the market today and yet so many people are determined to get rid of a superior product and replace it with an inferior one...........go figure.
I have finished rehabbing a home that is 65 years old......the shingles look old however they are in excellent condition........I live in NC......think about how many storms and hurricanes this product has weathered and is still standing.......
NC
The asbestos in the siding is not a problem or a health hazard. To vinyl over it can be tricky though as it is very brittle. As you start to nail the siding in it cracks and drops to the bottom. If you start at the top of the house and go down this eliminates alot of the siding gathering at the bottom and bulging. It does not require a hazmat removal or special handling from a contractors point of view. At least not that I have ever heard.
Asbestos Siding is about 85% Portland cement with the asbestos used as a binder. But because of the word "Asbestos" I have found you need an educated consumer to sell to even if it is covered over (some states require disclosure). I have removed and covered over asbestos and have prefered the removal because of the problem of the siding breaking as mentioned by Mikewatts1 and the stigma attached to a house as previously mentioned that contains Asbestos.
The last time I removed and replaced was about 6 years ago and the local land fill said double bag it.
Rules might have changed since then and every state is different.
I have sided over it and it is a challenge. As noted by others here it is VERY brittle. Definitely takes some time and patience.
When you hamer a nail into the siding it is no longer encapsulated.
My insurance policies ask specifically if it is abestos siding.
Was the siding typically put over wood frame, so that if you remove the siding you would still have an exterior construction?
Brenda
Weather or not you plan to live in this house or not.......the facts are real simple.
1. To remove the siding and have it hauled off......cost more money.
2. Are you going to be able to recover the extra expenses......I seriously doubt it.
3. Are there acceptable methods of applying over the current siding......yes.
4. How much money do you want to spend to make a couple feel good about something they probably dont understand.
I personally would cover it and move on to the next project.
It's unforunate that the government has gotten into the business of legislating against stupidity...........now if they could only pass out common sense then we would be set.........but then again, thats an oxymoron......government and common sense.
Look what we builders are dealing with now with treated lumber. The old treated lumber was poisonous if you eat it......the new stuff will corrode most nails...........and this is suppose to be new and improved......eat right through metal........but dont worry about that....it wont harm you like the old stuff.
Genius....pure genius.
NC
Besides the new nails taste better no not the 10's the 8's.
If it is roofing and it is asbestos and it is very brittle. I remove and lay down a new roof of Stuct 1 plywood. I paper it well with 30 lb. I mope it on seams or if I have the stuff, wetmop the whole thing which is proper and then I put on my new shingles which are not asbesto. The building department calls me friend and insurance agents smile. No left field claims in the future.
If the house is Asbestos shingles on the outside I have a problem. Double bag is not too acceptable in Calif. they want it removed all the way. It is an economic decision. If you decide to leave it just write it up and attach your documentation on any sale or refinance. Then you spray and let me say dear friends I use an airless with the sinker tip that is really going to push the stuff out and hard. Do not check the nozzle with your fingers as you will then have to endure about two hours of full probe surgery trying to get the gooey sealant paint out of your finger. It is gory, expensive and requires someone who knows how to do it. There is no Purple Heart awarded and no kiss from your favorite gay General. Be Careful. Wanna see my scared finger?
Hope this is helpfull Lucius\\
If I was removing it I would do it myself and not say anything to anybody. Additionally you don't "know" it is asbestos without sending it to a lab for testing. 50% of what I thought was asbestos I had tested wasnt....
One thing I can think of, stucco. Double encapsulate that stuff.
I'm not an expert on Asbestos problems either, however, I am piping in because I know a little about the product and the problems. My brother is a certified asbestos abatement contractor and has been removing asbestos of all kinds for the last 20 years or so.
Asbestos is only dangerous when it becomes "friable". This can happen to most types of asbestos depending on the circumstances, the environmental conditions etc. When it is left in place or covered over there are very specific methods for doing this and it should never be attempted by anyone who doesn't know how to handle it properly. When it becomes friable it is invisible and you won't even see it but you may be breathing it. The disease that is caused by breathing Asbestos poluted air is called mesthioloma (a type of lung cancer) and can be caused by breathing one fiber into the lungs. It is always fatal although very slow to develop. The laws governing its removal are Federal laws and are enforced by the EPA and OSHA. It can become friable just by simply driving a nail through it or doing anything that causes it to break up.
I know I am overly cautious but I wouldn't touch it without totally checking it out with a fully certified asbestos abatement contractor. (Most contractors are not qualified to remove or work with it).Perhaps you can check it out online by looking at the EPA regs.
As mentioned above you should be able to get a real deal on the house because of it and so it is still worth pursuing.
Good luck.
I spoke with a friend who was a state inspector one time about asbestos siding. He said that not only was it not a problem as long as you didn't crush it, he said that most people didn't realize that a lot of so called asbestos siding did not even contain asbestos! He said you have to have it tested to know.
I love the stucco idea. Just remove the loss shingles and then stucco over.
Anyone see a problem with that?
(Can you tell I am currently looking at an abestos siding house?)
Brenda
That stucco idea does sound good. I really like stucco but the big drawback I see is that it seems to be a regional thing. Stucco houses just don't sell very well where I live. People seem to want to stick with whatever is considered conventional for their area so they won't have a problem with resale.
I have both removed and sided over asbestos siding. A way to keep asbestos siding from crumbling is to drill into the siding and attach the new siding with screws.
wow guys some great responses all around. Thanks. Went and looked at the house. It was very clean, but I couldnt get past the fact that I was told it has no basement, and does not even sit on a slab. When I enetered the floors were all sagging toward the middle of the house.(quite drastically in my opinion)
Overall I surmised that I couldnt pay more than $32,700 for the property......they of course were offended at my offer. House was clean but structurally was crap, not to mention updating the siding, flooring, electrical, clean up, blah, blah,blah......
Oh well on to the next. Thanks again yoiu guys. I didnt buy the house but I did learn a quite bit from your responses.
Mike in Wisconsin.
What about 'dozin a house w/ asbestos siding? Does the siding have to be removed before demolition or should I have it tested to see if it even has asbestos? Any idea on costs for testing?
I just got done rehabbing a house here in Michigan w/asbestos siding. I simply replaced the broken and cracked shingles (about 75 each) with new ones and had the house repainted by painting contractors. It took me about 40 hours of personal time to fix the shingles -- it went a lot faster once I got the hang of it. I used exterior spackling on small cracks and holes rather than pulling the old piece.
Looks better (more natural) than house next door with new vinyl siding and you can paint any color you want. Owens Corning makes replacement shingles for about $4 each (no asbestos in the new ones of course). It would have cost $12,000 to put on new siding. I fixed and painted for $2500 (plus 40 hours of my time). You do the math.
I'm thinking there's a profitable business opportunity in shingle siding repair -- repair at 50% of the cost of vinyl.[ Edited by daveh on Date 03/12/2004 ]
I have put vinyl siding over asbestos siding many times. The best way to prevent the asbestos siding from breaking and accumulating at the bottom of the wall is to first put on a layer of 1/2'' or 3/4'' foam insulation (comes in 4'x8' sheets). Use 2'' Round Plastic Cap Nails (the ones used for felting). When you nail the insulation be sure to nail directly on the studs this will stop most of the cracking. I nail on every stud and space the nails every 16'' vertically. After that install the siding as normal, just be sure and to always nail on the studs. Like I said I have done this on probably 30-40 homes and never once had a problem at the time of installation nor till this day. Good luck
I had a small home with this type of problem years ago in TN and if rules are the same as then you can just cover it up.