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Asbestos
Rhino
TheRhinLOLRegistered User regular
TheRhinLOLRegistered User regular
Long story short a guy was looking at my roof (hail damage) and also does siding. He said my siding was made out of "Pressed Asbestos". I asked him (out of curiosity) what it would cost to remove it and put up siding and he said "a fortune". He said since it was Asbestos the EPA would have to be involved and also would have to have a contractor that is qualified to deal with the stuff.
He basically said if you cut it, it goes everywhere and if you get it in your lungs you get cancer. He said most people just put siding on top of it and be done with that; but that still could case health problems.
But what I'm wondering, is what would be the safest thing to do at this point? I don't want the cancer
Secondly, I bought this house about 4 years ago (it was built in 196x). Isn't it illegal to sale a house with Asbestos? I live in MN, USA.
He basically said if you cut it, it goes everywhere and if you get it in your lungs you get cancer. He said most people just put siding on top of it and be done with that; but that still could case health problems.
But what I'm wondering, is what would be the safest thing to do at this point? I don't want the cancer
Secondly, I bought this house about 4 years ago (it was built in 196x). Isn't it illegal to sale a house with Asbestos? I live in MN, USA.
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Edit:
Here is a blurb about asbestos siding.
"...Since these products are already in place and outdoors, there is little risk to human health. However, if the siding is worn or damaged, you may spray-paint it to help seal the fibers.
You should avoid disturbing these products if they are already part of your home. Unless they must be replaced as a result of normal wear, it is wiser to simply leave it in place."
So, although options 1 and 2 are safer, option 3, leave it alone, appears to be safe too.
Edit 2: In California, a contractor must be registered with Cal/OSHA as an asbestos abatement contractor. Not sure what is required in MN, but probably something similar.
Out of curiosity, what would it costs for a demo crew to properly take this down? We talking a couple thousand, in the tens of thousands, more? It's a two story house and it's on the [disconnected] garage part too.
Good luck and be careful.
You can pay to have it removed, but it's typically about 4x more expensive than a comparable, non-asbestos removal. It's not because it's inherently dangerous work, it's because there's a lot more equipment and regulations to deal with the stuff.
Almost every house guy you speak with will press you to simply cover it with siding. If it's covered, it can't pose any health issues because asbestos fibers must be airborne in order to enter your lungs. It's not radioactive or anything. And, comically, most will say that if you have it, you might as well keep it because it's an awesome insulator -- asbestos insulation is much, much better compared to fiberglass.
So put some siding up over top of it, and don't worry about it.
Getting it covered with siding is your cheapest, safest and best option at this point. A professional company will seal it with a resistant coating prior to placing the siding over it, making it virtually impossible to get airborne and become dangerous.
Out of curiosity, did you know that you were buying Pressed Asbestos siding when you purchased your house? I don't know MN law, but in PA you would have to disclose that to a potential buyer.
no. I went over the billions papers I got when I purchased it and said nothing about Asbestos. They also "forgot" to tell me the fucking basement leaked.
Say theoretically they seal it up and I get siding. What happens if little Johnny from across the street starts shooting holes in it with is 22 or something like that?
http://www.workershealth.com.au/facts001.html
When my Dad and I pulled down an old asbestos super 6 fence about 14 years ago (little rural town called Chidlow), it had to go into special bags which had to be taken to some 'dangerous goods' reclamation place. All they did with it was incinerate it! Apparently it burns and burns and burns for fucking ages.
We had to buy special dust masks and get some temporary work permit or something like that. And get the bags to put it in too. It ended up costing about a thousand dollars, and that was back then.
yar sorry shouldave cheeked recently what the laws were , any thing over 10 meters needs a permit but you still can take it to da dump if you tell em before you come and rap it in heavy duty builders plastic . it costs about 100 bucks to get a permit. different laws for each state i guess.
@Mushiwulf and if you go to work covers web site they have different info to every one else's
As long as it remains solid, in one piece, behind a wall or somesuch where you cannot touch it, and it doesn't reach you via airflow, it's perfectly fine. The danger is, as above, in airborne particles. It would've been good if you were warned about it, but basicly any house built in the 60s or 70s got a pretty high shot of having it. (Your realtor ought to have checked really).
If I were you, I would maybe consider speaking with an MN attorney with regards to if it was illegal for the previous owners of your home to sell it to you without disclosing the fact it has Asbestos that would eventually become a hazard to you (or at least an unforeseen expense). I would also do so A.S.A.P. because your statute of limitations is running fast.
If there is anything in your house, attic, garage, shed or wherever that you think might be asbestos just seal it off. My parents recently bought a house with asbestos in the floors and what not. They just put a new cork floor over top and sealed that stuff up.
If you ever do any renovations, thats when you should be worrying about asbestos.
I do indoor air samples for airborne asbestos fibers, so if your really extra paranoid you could get one done, but we only ever do them after asbestos has been removed/disturbed, because it is only a problem if you disturb it.
It is fairly cheap (less then $100) to send off a chunk and get it analyzed for type and % content of asbestos, but I don't recommend this because-DO NOT DISTURB THE ASBESTOS!
Also, asbestos in insulation is often more prone to becoming air born then asbestos in more solid materials. If you have kitchen/bathroom fans that suck air out the ceiling you should maybe be checking that those vent outside and not into your attic. Even if you don't have asbestos insulation in your attic it's best if they vent outside because moisture buildup from them in the attic can cause mold to grow.
to recap: Don't bother removing the asbestos, seal it up.
Edit: when I said professionally sealed, I meant by someone who does sidings, you don't need some asbestos expert, just someone who knows what they are doing and that you want it sealed up.