asbestos roof

Hi, I've just moved into a single storey flat which I've now found out has an asbestos roof. We think it was once garage units and was converted.

Just before I moved in they had a leak and had scaffolding up to repair it. It has been repaired with plastic corrugated sheeting. The landlord owns a big garage adjoining which also has an asbestos roof and can't see there is a problem. . My son who lives next door is thinking of moving because of this. Should we be worried? My daughter cannot stay with either of us without coughing all the time that's what started us questioning it.

greenwitch said:

Hi, I've just moved into a single storey flat which I've now found out has an asbestos roof. We think it was once garage units and was converted.

Just before I moved in they had a leak and had scaffolding up to repair it. It has been repaired with plastic corrugated sheeting. The landlord owns a big garage adjoining which also has an asbestos roof and can't see there is a problem. . My son who lives next door is thinking of moving because of this. Should we be worried? My daughter cannot stay with either of us without coughing all the time that's what started us questioning it.

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Shouldn't be a problem. Asbestosis is caused by long term heavy exposure to the airborne particles of the substance, which are breathed in. It causes shortness of breath but coughing is not a typical symptom. Unless your daughter is in her fifties or sixties and used to work with asbestos there will not be a problem. Do you or your son smoke around your daughter? Is the flat particularly damp? Does she suffer from asthma? These could be the causes for the coughing, but I don't think your roof is.

greenwitch said:

Hi, I've just moved into a single storey flat

my daughter cannot stay with either of us without coughing all the time that's what started us questioning it.

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it would be some asbestos to have caused your daughters prob's so swiftly!

that said, it does seem that your roof is maybe inadequate for the task of habitable roofing.

Hi folks thanks for replying so quickly. I don't believe the coughing is connected either.

Rigid asbestos cement sheeting (as found on garage roofs) contains only a very small percentage of asbestos fibre (usually about 2.5%) that is bound in heavy cement matrix. The cement matrix prevents the fibre from floating around in the atmoshphere. The material is perfectly safe and causes no danger whatsoever unless it is disturbed. And even then the disturbance must be significant - probably involving cutting or grinding in some way. And even then there are plenty of experts who would argue that it is still poses very little danger.

Soft asbestos fibres - such as might be found in pipe insulation and the like - are deadly and should be avoided. But you won't know for about 30 years.

Your roof is safe and will cause you no danger whatsoever. But I wouldn't clean it up with a wire brush and I wouldn't sprinkle it on my cornflakes.

thankyou, both my son and myself are feeling a lot happier with the situation nowa little knowledge goes a long way to alleviate fear of the unknown.

Whilst Jeds is right that an undisturbed cement roof poses you no danger whatsoever, i would like to just clarify a couple points if anyone uses this post in the future.

1. Asbestos Cement contains about 10% to 15% asbestos by volume, and if examined on a broken edge this is very clear, especially under a microscope.

2. The asbestos fibres in cement are exactly the same fibres found in pipe lagging and other friable applications. Its the matrix of the material that keeps them from becoming airborne, they are not inherently any safer.

3. Just snapping AC sheeting release far more asbestos fibres than you would propably imagine, angle grinding or sawing would lead to large exposure, the only experts who would disagree with that are ones empoyed by the Canadian government to try and push their sales figures up.

Hope this is of help to someone in the future.