When You Have Asbestos Roofing Shingles on Your Home in Front Royal, VA
If your house in Front Royal, VA has asbestos roofing shingles, you are probably wondering what to do. When asbestos shingles are in good condition, and you do not plan on putting on a new roof, you do not need to do anything. The fact that they are covering your roof is not a danger to you or your family.
The only time asbestos is hazardous is when the shingles become damaged, and the fibers become airborne. Disturbing your asbestos roofing in Front Royal, VA may create health risks for you and your family; whereas, if you leave it alone, you should be safe. Asbestos roofing materials are less likely to release any asbestos fibers as long as you are not sawing cutting or drilling into the asbestos materials. So if your asbestos roofing is in good shape, do nothing.
However, if your asbestos roofing at your home in Front Royal, VA is not in good shape and you are thinking about replacing the asbestos shingles, there are a couple of different methods, either sealing or covering the asbestos shingles, that can be done.
- Sealing--also called encapsulation. This involves treating the asbestos roofing at your home in Front Royal, VA with a sealant that binds the asbestos fibers together or coats the fibers so they cannot be released into the air.
- Covering--involves leaving the asbestos shingles in place and layering over them with polystyrene foam insulation panels and shingling over with new shingles.
Covering asbestos roofing shingles on your Front Royal, VA home may seem the practical and cheaper solution for now. However, in the long run, the next time you need to reshingle your roof, you now have 2 sets of shingles on the roof, and it is too much weight to add another layer of shingles. So eventually, you will probably need to remove the asbestos shingles.
Anytime you find asbestos in your Front Royal, VA home, you should consult with an environmental company such as Envirotex. The asbestos shingles should only be removed by licensed professionals like Envirotex who are experienced in dealing with all materials containing asbestos. Along with the experience, these professionals know where to dispose of the hazardous materials. Any asbestos-containing materials have to be taken to landfills designed to handle hazardous materials in Front Royal, VA.
