Getting rid of asbestos siding from our house (Oregon: contractor, disposal)

[Jim Mac]

Has anyone removed it from their house ? How did you get rid of it ? If you got a dumpster, were there special procedures you had to follow ?

Thanks.

[Jim Mac]

Anyone ? I made some calls today, but didn't have much luck. Back at it Monday I guess.

[MortonR]

Did you call remediation companies? They would be the ones to ask.

As long as you're not breaking it up or cutting it I doubt it presents much of a risk, as asbestos has to be "friable" for it to be dangerous. Of course, disposal would be a concern, too.

Good luck!

RM

[Hemlock140]

That would be illegal in most places. Demo and disposal have to follow strict environmental guidelines, and in most cases cannot be done by the homeowner, it requires a license.

[Horer1964]

Originally Posted by Jim Mac

Has anyone removed it from their house ? How did you get rid of it ? If you got a dumpster, were there special procedures you had to follow ?

Thanks.

Hello there, you have to be careful when dealing with asbestos. It can cause health concerns if you are not cautious. Asbestos siding removal is a difficult task which I think can be of great help if you hire professionals expert in asbestos removal. It can be expensive but on the bright side, it will be safe for you as the experts will have all the right equipment to use and also have the proper medical precautions to take to avoid any harm to them and also to you.
If you plan to do it yourself make sure you do the job safely and succeed with it. You cannot stop at a point and leave it at that. Take necessary precautions by wearing medical masks to ensure safety.

[gemstone1]

"Take necessary precautions by wearing medical masks to ensure safety." If I elected to wear a mask for asbestos exposure, it would not merely be a "medical grade" mask.

Driving a car can be hazardous to your health...so wear a helmet for safety, and driving a nail with a hammer can be hazardous to your thumb, always hold the nail with pliers instead. We humans assume risk everyday, and most take reasonable steps to mitigate risk...so do what makes you feel comfortably safe.

While I don't dispute medical findings about asbestos, I do have issues with the suggested "do or die" precautions. Sure, it wouldn't be good to inhale asbestos dust 8 hours a day, every day, but I can say that as part of my job in the 70's, I used to cut 1/2" thick asbestos fiberboard with a hand saw, no filtration, no precautions, and some 50 years later I have no health issues tied to asbestos. Maybe I am an anomaly, maybe not. Maybe the suggested precautions are overly zealous....maybe not.

EPA info on asbestos. Note this sentence: December 2020 Final Risk Evaluation for Asbestos, Part 1: Chrysotile Asbestos found unreasonable risks to human health for ongoing uses of chrysotile asbestos and no unreasonable risk to the environment from any condition of use.

If I were to remove my own asbestos siding, I would first contact my county building officials to verify what, if any rules may apply to me, the homeowner for the removal and disposal of the siding. Or maybe I would take the "rather seek forgiveness than permission" mindset, but first would come adequate research. Homeowner performed work and contractor performed work are not always governed by the same regulations.

Regards
Gemstone1

[Willamette City]

We removed our asbestos siding years ago. It's legal in Oregon for the home owner to do, but there are procedures that are required to be followed such as: proper PPE, proper disposal bags, labeled appropriately, sealing properly and hauling to a certain landfill. It was a pain but worth it. We also installed new siding ourselves and it still looks good years later.

[skeddy]

if removing asbestos was that dangerous there would be a federal law against it..

[Coolair]

Asbestos removal companies are there to remove with all the safety procedures and safe waste disposal. They have the equipment to do it safely for other and environemnt.