Asbestos Shingles Removal

If you’ve bought a home with asbestos shingles, don’t panic. If they are in good condition and left alone they are not likely to cause any major issues. However, if they are damaged or disturbed there may be a health hazard as asbestos fibres may be released into the air, which, over time can cause such diseases as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.

So, if your asbestos shingles are in good condition, do nothing. If they are in poor condition and can’t easily be repaired you may have to consider their removal. It is recommended you seek the help of a professional asbestos removal specialist to minimise the risk of airborne asbestos fibres being released and breathed in by you and your family. However, if you wish to do the job yourself, here’s what you need to do.

1. Buy the necessary safety gear and get put it on. You’ll need an approved respirator, coveralls, gloves a hat and goggles. You can buy all this from a safety work wear store.

2. Lay thick plastic sheeting immediately beneath the area you will be working on and secure it with strong adhesive tape. This will ensure you catch any debris that falls to the ground as you’re working.

3. If necessary, remove any baseboards or trim. You will need to be very careful when doing this and be sure not to use power tools to aid in removal. Power tools are more likely to disturb the surface of the material than hand tools, meaning a greater risk of airborne asbestos fibres.

4. Move to the top row of the asbestos shingles and work your way down. Dampen the areas as you work with a light mist spray and be careful not to break the shingles – if possible take them off in whole pieces.

5. Place each shingle in a plastic container that has been lined with thick plastic sheeting. Leave enough overhang so that you can wrap the top of the shingles when you have finished. Dampen the shingles in the container every so often to minimise the potential for asbestos fibres to escape. Be sure you carefully place each shingle in the container. Try not to drop the shingles or rub them over one another to minimise damage.

6. Once you have filled the container give the shingles a final mist then close it up and secure with strong adhesive tape. Mark the container as containing asbestos material.

7. Dampen the plastic worksheet you placed immediately beneath the area you were working on. Roll it up and place in a container as above, marked as containing asbestos material.

8. Call your local authorities to find the nearest landfill that will accept asbestos waste. They will give you all the information you need.

For further information on asbestos shingles and its removal visit our website at http://www.removing-asbestos.com.