If your asbestos siding is largely in excellent condition and you decide to keep it you may only a few pieces that are chipped or broken to replace.
Buy asbestos siding.
Let the siding dry then prime and paint with the best exterior latex you can find.
Learn what asbestos is why it.
Asbestos cement was first developed in 1905 by the johns manville company who became one of the premier manufacturers of cement asbestos materials.
In the photo above a 1920s house was resided with asbestos cement siding likely sometime in the 1950s.
The portland cement binds asbestos fibers into a hard mass.
Installing vinyl siding will require disturbing the asbestos by nailing into it.
If you re in the process of buying and selling a property and find asbestos it may generate sentiments of fear.
With the cement siding the asbestos fibers are locked in and are not going anywhere plus the coat of paint over it is further protection.
Unless asbestos siding is disturbed it doesn t pose a significant health hazard and does not need to be removed.
Because of the safety precautions necessary for repairing the damage or removing the siding it will be expensive.
It is available in a variety of sizes and shapes to match many of the old siding shingles installed over the last 60 years.
Containing the asbestos typically costs 15 25 less than removal because you won t have to pay for disposal costs.
The asbestos in the cement siding is not at all comparable to asbestos insulation which is generally pretty crumbly and loose stuff friable as they say.
In many cases it s possible to buy replacement asbestos siding manufactured to look like older asbestos siding shingles.
Asbestos shingles are relatively strong but.
Asbestos cement is a mixture of portland cement reinforced with asbestos fibers.
Containing asbestos might mean encapsulating the asbestos tiles in the basement instead of removing them altogether.
Weatherside fiber cement siding is the 1 and weatherside fiber cement siding is the 1 and only solution for replacing or repairing old asbestos siding shingles.
But finding asbestos isn t always a deal breaker.
A brief history of asbestos cement siding.
You can see the earlier novelty wood siding at the area where there is missing and damaged asbestos siding.
Lead paint wasn t outlawed until 1978 so it s sure to be present on siding going back to the 1950s.
Covering old asbestos shingles with new siding may seem like an option too but it s not easy to do safely.
Both the epa and the vinyl siding institute recommend not disturbing asbestos if at all possible.