What is Asbestos Siding? APM’s Expert Guide
When it comes to ensuring the safety and well-being of our homes, being aware of what is harmful outside is just as important as inside. At APM, we believe that every homeowner should be equipped with the necessary information to make informed decisions about their property.
While banned, asbestos materials still exist in (or on) our everyday homes, with many people unaware of this. That is why the first step in protecting your home and family is awareness of materials that contain asbestos!
In this guide, APM will cover one of the most critical aspects of home construction: asbestos siding. Our goal is to keep our local community safe from the harmful effects of asbestos is important, and we are happy to help in any way we can.
What Is Asbestos Siding?
Asbestos siding is wall cladding that contains asbestos, a heat- and corrosion-resistant fibrous mineral. Until the late 1980s, most builders and manufacturers used asbestos fibers to strengthen and fireproof siding. Other asbestos-containing materials in buildings include cement, roofing and ceiling products, insulation, flooring, drywall, paint, and pipe seals.
In the 1970s, researchers discovered that asbestos exposure can lead to various health problems, including mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer. This prompted the United States government to pass laws limiting asbestos use.
These laws ban the use of asbestos in many industries, restrict individuals and companies from using asbestos in situations where it could be released into the air, require regular inspections to ensure asbestos materials like asbestos siding are intact and undamaged, and set rules to ensure asbestos fibers aren’t being released during use.
Why Identifying Asbestos Siding Is Important
Identifying asbestos siding doesn’t just protect you and your family from health problems. It can also help you ensure the safety of others and maintain your property value. Here are several reasons why identifying asbestos siding is vital:
- Health: If you fail to identify and remove asbestos siding, you and your family may inhale or ingest asbestos fibers. This can greatly increase the chances of developing asbestos-related illnesses like asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer. Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease that causes chest pain, shortness of breath, and dry and crackling sounds when you breathe. Meanwhile, mesothelioma and lung cancer are aggressive cancers with poor expected outcomes.
- Construction: If you don’t test for asbestos before performing construction projects, you, your family, and the workers may be exposed to asbestos in the roofing materials, flooring, ceiling material, piping, or walls.
- Community safety: If your building has asbestos-containing materials such as asbestos siding, community members may inhale or ingest asbestos fibers, causing them to be at risk for asbestos-related diseases. This is especially likely to happen if your building is open to the public (i.e., an office or museum).
- Property value: Last but not least, you should assess the presence of asbestos in your property if you live in a building built before the 1980s. Otherwise, your property value could drop. Having APM perform an asbestos inspection kills two birds with one stone by making sure the premises are safe for all and allowing you to maintain a great value for your property. Make sure you discuss the importance of an asbestos inspection with your real estate agency!
Should I Buy A House With Asbestos Siding?
No, you should not buy a house or real estate with asbestos siding (unless you negotiate asbestos abatement) for several reasons:
- If asbestos is on the house’s exterior, there’s a high chance the builder also used asbestos materials on the inside.
- Your contract needs to be negotiated to incorporate the costs of asbestos inspection, removal, and renovation.
If you suspect that a house has asbestos-containing materials, APM is here to help. As a licensed and experienced asbestos removal company through the state of Illinois and OSHA, we can offer asbestos real estate management and home inspection services for:
- Residential purchases
- Pre-demolition
- Remodeling projects
- Industrial maintenance
- Commercial real estate
Before you close your property deal, we will perform our professional process of identifying asbestos-related hazards and take every precaution to safely remove all asbestos siding and other asbestos-containing materials from the building.
Identifying asbestos siding can boost your property value, prevent delays in construction and remodeling projects, prevent expensive decontamination due to accidental asbestos contamination, and save thousands of dollars for both the buyer and the seller.
What To Do If Your House Has Asbestos Siding
It can seem incredibly scary to realize that your home or real estate has asbestos siding. If your house has asbestos siding, contact Asbestos Project Management. Here’s how we can help:
- Asbestos Inspection: We can help minimize property owners’ environmental liabilities by identifying and quantifying asbestos siding and other hazardous asbestos materials in residential, industrial, and commercial buildings.
- Asbestos Testing: After inspecting your property, we will take the samples to a lab, and recommend remediation procedures if the materials test positive. Alternatively, you can use our at-home asbestos testing kit if you’re short on time. Simply collect your sample, fill in the form, and send the sample to us for testing.
- Asbestos Removal: APM specializes in professional asbestos removal in governmental, commercial, industrial, residential, and institutional properties. We use state-of-the-art equipment and techniques to complete each project according to state and federal standards.
Best Way To Powerwash Asbestos Siding
The answer here is simple: you don’t. You should never try removing, cleaning, or powerwashing asbestos siding yourself.
If you are identifying asbestos siding on your home, do not clean or remove the asbestos siding yourself. Powerwashing asbestos siding can break pieces of siding, shingles, or weak stucco sections, releasing asbestos fibers into the air.
The best way to deal with asbestos siding is to contact professionals like APM, who can test your siding for asbestos and remove it. Once we have determined that your siding contains asbestos, we can remove it safely and effectively.
Talk to us today by calling 630-291-7111 or filling out this form.
Avoid Asbestos Siding With APM’s Asbestos Home Services
This comprehensive resource allows families, homeowners, and real estate professionals to safely make well-informed decisions for any type of property. With the right knowledge and awareness, APM strives to build a safer, healthier future for our homes by identifying asbestos siding one inspection at a time.
Stay tuned for more insightful articles, practical tips, and expert advice. Ready to take the next step? Schedule an appointment with our certified asbestos professionals today and receive a free estimate!
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