Fiber cement is a product that was widely used in the past as a building material. It typically has 10-15% asbestos fibers that are bonded into Portland cement or calcium silicate and the uncoated sheets are light gray in color (several sheets may have been painted or have a coating applied on factory).
Fiber cement is a well-bonded sheet building material, generally used for roofs and outbuildings such as garages. Care must be taken not to confuse it with asbestos insulation board which is similar in appearance, but much more dangerous as it is softer.
Despite the growing number of published studies that demonstrated the dangers that asbestos poses to human health, large companies continued to make use of asbestos despite the fact that safer insulation alternatives, such as fiberglass, were available. to replace it. Until the late 1980s, asbestos was widely used in building materials, from fiber cement sheets for roofs and walls to corrugated asbestos cements used for roof sheathing.
Generally, the existence of asbestos-containing materials is not a cause for alarm and may leave the materials in place. For example, if the internal asbestos sheet walls are in good condition and covered with paint, they do not pose a health risk. Exterior roofs and siding do not have to be replaced unless broken or surfaces are damaged. Fiber cement construction products can be safely kept, disposed of, or disposed of, provided certain precautions are taken to prevent the release of asbestos fibers or dust.
Any homeowner making the decision to remove asbestos cement from their home must take care of proper disposal after it has been removed from their home. All other items used during the removal of contaminated asbestos cements must also be safely disposed of in the same way.