Asbestos Siding and its Dangers
Over the last few decades asbestos and its health risks has been in the news more and more. After it was commonly used as a building material for hundreds of years, it became known that is poses real dangers to us and our health. In recent years, many remediating efforts have been made and asbestos has been replaced with safe materials whenever possible.
If you own an older house, there is a good chance that you have asbestos is your home. In the past, it has also been used for home exteriors and siding. In siding, asbestos was used in combination with cement, using the asbestos fibers to reinforce the cement. What about your siding? Does it contain asbestos? If so, when do you need to worry about it and what should be done about it?
What You Need to Know About Asbestos
In of itself, asbestos is not dangerous when left alone and untouched. However, if it becomes damaged or exposed and the fibers become airborne, that is when you need to worry about it. This could happen during a fire, construction or home project. The fibers also become brittle over time and can crumble and leak into the air. It is advisable to remove material containing asbestos before that can happen.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been used for many centuries. The fibers were used in many different industries and applications. For many years it was a popular building material as well as being used for clothing, as the asbestos fibers are very resistant to fire and heat.
It was not until the middle of the 20th century that the dangers of asbestos fibers became widely known and things started to change. By the end of the century it was banned in some countries (however, it is still not banned in the U.S., although its use is limited), many lawsuits were filed and the World Health Organization recognized mesothelioma.
Asbestos exposure, especially over an extended period of time, can cause mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer, among other conditions. Asbestos is most dangerous when the fibers are airborne and are inhaled. These are serious dangers to your health that you need to be aware of.
Are you worried about asbestos and what it could mean for your health? Then check out this website. It will help you identify symptoms, how to diagnose mesothelioma and talks about treatment options.
What to Do About Asbestos
Asbestos is found in many homes in the U.S., especially if they were built before 1980. The fibers were used in insulation, (popcorn) ceilings, (vinyl) floor tiles, drywall, cement, paint, plumbing fixtures and siding, among other things. There are federal safety regulations in place when it comes to the removal and disposal of materials that contain asbestos.
Never try to remove asbestos materials yourself. The exposure risk is very high when asbestos is removed as the fibers get disturbed and become airborne. If you think you have asbestos siding or other asbestos materials in your home, never remove those suspicious materials yourself. Do not sweep, vacuum or dust up possible asbestos debris.
Instead, you should call an asbestos abatement company to come and identify the material. If it is indeed asbestos, they can take proper precautions as they are trained professionals and know how to safely remove it.
Asbestos abatement companies can identify the presence of asbestos, remove it or repair material to eliminate the threat of exposure. With the proper precautions these companies can safely remove asbestos materials such as siding. After they have done so, you can have new siding installed and be assured that the threat is eliminated. Not only will you have beautiful new siding but also peace of mind.
Let Colorado Siding Repair Help
We do not remediate or remove asbestos siding ourselves. However, we can highly recommend working with Asbestos Abatement. We have a longstanding and wonderful relationship with them and do not hesitate to refer our clients to them. They are a local Colorado company and a leader in asbestos abatement and removal.
The team from Asbestos Abatement can look at and assess your siding and they offer abatement and removal services as well. They have technicians that are state licensed and have many years of experience with this hazardous material.
After the asbestos siding is removed, we are happy to help you with replacing the old asbestos siding with a much better modern option. We can offer you many different siding choices and can work within your budget.
The siding we recommend most is James Hardie fiber cement siding. When you choose this siding, you have a variety of options regarding style, texture and color. James Hardie has a plethora of colors to choose from that you are sure to love.
Fiber cement siding is very durable and virtually maintenance free. It comes with an amazing 30-year product and 15-year finish warranty. This siding will truly improve the curb appeal of your house and you will love how your home will look with it.
Colorado Siding Repair is a James Hardie Elite Preferred company, a distinction we are proud of. For you, this means that we know this product well and will get the job done right. It is a wonderful product that we are happy to install.
Regardless of whether you choose James Hardie fiber cement or a different siding, we are here to help you with the whole process, from a free quote without sales pressure, to the selection process of your new siding. If you need to finance the replacement of your siding, we can help with that as well. Call Colorado Siding Repair today and let us help you!
