Pressure Washing Old Asbestos Siding

Asbestos cement can be dangerous if pulverized by sawing sanding breaking etc.

Pressure washing old asbestos siding.

If the tiles are in really good shape and your only looking to clean them not prep for paint. Only use a pressure washer at a distance of 6 feet or more. Bob vila interviews a contractor in the process of using a pressure washer to remove paint from exterior wood siding. If you feel that you need to use a pressure washer especially on harder to reach locations only use it at a low pressure under 1500 psi with a wide tip.

I d like to remove it and put on new siding but that job is prohibitively expensive right now. Many homes used this type of siding because it was easy to clean and more durable than other substances. Cleaning this siding takes some care since asbestos could be released into the air and cause health problems for those present. I have an old house with asbestos cement siding.

Power washing of asbestos wall tiles can be done but its condition must be considered first. Then as long as your using a lower pressure wand with the fan spray you will be fine. A high powered pressure washer can also dent aluminum and vinyl siding. The use of a pressure washer for maintenance can crack the siding and lead to moisture intrusion if the pressure setting is high enough.

While it s possible to wash wood siding correctly there s also a good chance that water will find its way up and under the exterior surface if you use high pressure. So i think i ll just put on a fresh coat of paint. From there water can damage insulation electrical wiring and can spur mold growth. If you do power wash use as gentle a touch as possible and quit if you find that you re knocking pieces of siding off.

Asbestos cement roof damaged by washing. Should i prep the surface by powerwashing or will that release harmful asbestos particles. This article warns about un supervised or un trained environmental cleanup companies or work crews handling asbestos lead mold and similar indoor contaminants including identification of amateur or improper asbestos abatement projects that failed to properly remove materials or that left abandoned asbestos materials in place. Asbestos siding achieved its height in popularity between the 1920s and 1970s.

Do not use a high pressure hose to clean fiber cement siding. You can power wash any loose paint or simply scrape and remove any. Asbestos cement siding is very brittle and can be easily chipped cracked or broken. For more on house painting visit.

The biggest concern is that you should avoid power washing asbestos siding as it can chip or damage the siding and release dangerous asbestos fibers into the air. If there is fraying on the edges of the tiles the answer is no.