Is There Asbestos In Concrete Roof Tiles

Enviromantic getty images manufactured from a mix of asbestos fibers and hydraulic cement asbestos cement roof shingles were rigid durable and fireproof.

Is there asbestos in concrete roof tiles.

The same does not hold true for asbestos embedded in a concrete mix. The only way to know for sure whether your roof contains asbestos is to have a sample tested by professionals in a certified laboratory. Asbestos roof tiles are usually square shaped and their colour is generally a combination of grey and black. However asbestos can be a range of colours depending on the material it is mixed with.

Providing samples for lab check. While a tile that contains asbestos will be referenced as an asbestos tile it should be noted that these tiles are not made up of solely asbestos. They are a cement based material known for being hard wearing and can last for more than 40 years. Asbestos is actually whitish grayish or whitish blue in color.

Asbestos tiles can be cut with a slate cutter some of which in fact were originally manufactured to cut asbestos tiles. Most of the times asbestos roofing materials are not dangerous if not damaged and left undisturbed. The result of the test will lead you to the next step. Generally tiles containing asbestos do have a gray white or bluish white color.

Asbestos is a brittle and fragile material. Since the fibers were evenly distributed throughout the concrete mixture and are now set in the hardened matrix they cannot be seen with the naked eye. Unlike tiles or wallboard that may show wispy asbestos fibers as they disintegrate concrete products do not show asbestos when broken. The cement means it s not easily friable it should not easily crumble in to dust if mashed between your thumb and forefinger.

They would not warp or rot and were resistant to damage caused by insects. If an expert bee keeper is the answer to removing them expert asbestos removers are the only safe option for removing asbestos roof tiles. It cannot be walked on as the tiles will crack and these hairline cracks which are hard to see will leak. That s the case in large part because the mixing process evenly distributes the mineral fibers and blends them in with the other concrete ingredients.

The safest way to treat roof tiles containing asbestos is to imagine that the microscopic fibres contained in the tiles are like a swarm of resting bees at rest on the roof of a building. Sometimes for many years. Try moving them and there could be trouble. However when mixed with other materials it may be impossible to know whether asbestos has been added or not.

Asbestos roofing tiles are predominately comprised of cement. The asbestos content will vary on the manufacturer but the content will typically be 15 or less. Call in the registered asbestos sampling or. When building materials such as wallboards and tiles break apart a simple visual examination will reveal their asbestos content.