Your neighbour s may have asbestos roofs.
Is it safe to have an asbestos roof.
Asbestos cement roofs were invented at the end of the 19th century.
Whilst there is no doubt that asbestos fibres are not good for your health is it safe to have an asbestos cement roof over your house.
Consequently safe access systems must be in place before any work commences to both prevent and arrest falls from height.
You may live near an industrial area where there are many hectares of asbestos roofs and there may be other asbestos products that we do not know about that is close by.
If asbestos in the roof spreads this will lead to a health hazard making people breath in the cancer causing chemical that can result in lung cancer mesothelioma etc.
We probably all know what they look like and in fact we may have come across this type of roof in our daily lives.
Attempting ordinary maintenance like repairing or replacing individual tiles or shingles to preserve the overall roof or siding can create asbestos dust.
Fibres that get washed off the roof into the rainwater butt will be damped down and can no more become airborn than the ones off the roof.
The pragmatic answer to this question is simply this.
Asbestosis which is a permanent scarring of the lung tissue.
Over time these fibers can build up in your lungs causing lung cancer and mesothelioma a cancer of the lung and abdominal cavity lining.
An asbestos cement roof is fragile.
In asbestos roofing construction.
Asbestos is not toxic as such the problem to human health from asbestos is inhaled fibres in the lungs causing asbestosis.
The result of the test will lead you to the next step.
Accordingly if the material contains less than 1 asbestos it is safe and does not require removal.
If you are the building owner then there is an additional responsibility involved as you could be held culpable for the effects of the substance.
The epa asbestos web site contains general information on asbestos sources exposure and health effects what to do if you suspect asbestos training and laws and regulations.
Asbestos cement roofing sheets are a feature of our lives.
It is not reasonable to repair most roofs or siding that have suffered significant deterioration or damage.
It is only in scientific testing of a sample that determines asbestos in.
Initially the roofs were introduced to make inexpensive but sturdy military housing however after.
Furthermore asbestos roofing produces a higher asbestos concentration than other cement roof sheets.
The only way to know for sure whether your roof contains asbestos is to have a sample tested by professionals in a certified laboratory.
