Asbestos siding was used very regularly in the building industry during the period from 1920 to 1970
. Although this is quite a while ago, one can still find it in many homes and buildings today. This product used to be added to the cement and then pushed into siding shingles.
The product was used for its fire-retardant properties and to make the siding shingles stronger and more durable. It also acted as a good insulator. It had a fairly low manufacturing cost.
It would not decay or crumble and was resilient to termites and ants. It was easy to clean and the texture made it easy to paint. The sizes, profiles and textures that were available made it convenient to use. There were uses other than siding for it too. The product was used in drywall and pipe insulation as well. Although it had all these good properties, there was one major problem with it.
Researchers discovered that asbestos fibers were carcinogenic. This was caused when the fibers were inhaled when it was floating in the air. The exposure of this research finding caused anxiety and the use of this product in building materials was immediately stopped.
The one fact to note regarding the dangers it poses is that there is no health risk while the fibers are encapsulated and whole. The danger is when the fibers are able to float around. This happens if the siding is damaged, smashed or fragmented.
If you own a home which has asbestos siding or if you are considering buying a home that has it, consider this. Do some research before deciding on whether you want to remove or replace the siding. There are pros and cons to removing or leaving it.