re-cementing brick at top of house wall next to (likely) asbestos sofit

[MattB83]

I'm not sure if I'm being completely neurotic but my house is in need of repointing everywhere.

I've just noticed a brick right at the top of my house wall (where the soffit joins the wall) that has come completely loose and tilted backwards. I've just climbed up and realised it's going to be like Tetris as the brick is half behind the soffit so I'll need to wiggle it around when trying to cement back in place as there's not actually room to take it out completely without removing the soffit.

Which brings me on to my main question - the soffit doesn't look like plywood as I hoped, in fact it's got several chips out of it which made me think of asbestos - I've asked a roofer who I've got booked to look at a separate job what soffits on this estate generally are and he said asbestos. This is a bit of a surprise as I've watched several roofers replace soffits on our street with no visible precautions and everything has just been thrown in a normal skip as far as I can tell.

I won't be replacing the sofit for some time but is it reasonable to carry out the brickwork myself without precautions? I won't be doing anything to the soffit but will be touching it to some extent - I've read HSE guides but this relates to removal/drilling etc. I understand that an important distinction is whether it's Asbestos Insulation Board vs Asbestos Cement.

 

[KenGMac]

MattB83, good evening.

The Soffit is most probably Cement bound asbestos board, the content of Asbestos is very, very small the actual Asbestos contained within these boards is [so called] "White" asbestos the lease dangerous of all such materials [Crysotile]

Given you will be working outside, in the breeze, you will not cut / abrade / drill or disturb this material in any way, then no problem in working up to this material.

As to how dangerous this material is indoors, especially the dust see the attached, worth a read??

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/ab...estos-in-home-has-been-disturbed-not-realised

Ken

 

[MattB83]

MattB83, good evening.

The Soffit is most probably Cement bound asbestos board, the content of Asbestos is very, very small the actual Asbestos contained within these boards is [so called] "White" asbestos the lease dangerous of all such materials [Crysotile]

Given you will be working outside, in the breeze, you will not cut / abrade / drill or disturb this material in any way, then no problem in working up to this material.

As to how dangerous this material is indoors, especially the dust see the attached, worth a read??

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/ab...estos-in-home-has-been-disturbed-not-realised

Ken

Thanks Ken that's reassuring. It's hard to be pragmatic with all the information out there (I find at least). What slightly spooks me is the mention on some sites that asbestos soffits can be either Asbestos Insulation Boards or asbestos cement - the insulation boards apparently being more concerning.

 

[KenGMac]

the insulation boards

Tend to be a far softer material, they have to be to "absorb" high frequency noise.

Asbestos cement is a very hard brittle material.

Ken.

 

[^woody^]

If you can, leave the mortar bed in place and then use clear silicone to stick the brick down.

Slide a trowel or suchlike in and under the brick to lift it, pull it forward and then the brick will drop down as you pull the trowel out.

 

[MattB83]

If you can, leave the mortar bed in place and then use clear silicone to stick the brick down.

Slide a trowel or suchlike in and under the brick to lift it, pull it forward and then the brick will drop down as you pull the trowel out.

Thank you - Spoken by someone who has dealt with the same issue?

I'm assuming silicone because 1) the brick isn't bearing any weight and 2) it's under the soffit and so won't be taking any beating from the rain? Unfortunately the cement is in really bad shape - I'm wondering if I could drill a small hole and get a masonry screw in the brick to give me something to grab onto and position it with.

I'm not completely clear on the anatomy of the wall. Above/behind the brick there is a very thin flexible 'ceiling' material I can't see which I don't think is part of the soffit but not sure what it is or what it's connected to.

Pic of wall if any use - the offending brick is very top left but in shadow so not clear -probably why I've not noticed it before. Should have taken a pic when I was up there.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/U7QesGGjPjWxrmmn7

 

[MattB83]

Tend to be a far softer material, they have to be to "absorb" high frequency noise.

Asbestos cement is a very hard brittle material.

Ken.

Thanks Ken - re- cement - that makes sense that bits have snapped off - particularly where they've made holes for drainpipes.

 

[^woody^]

The brick is not doing anything except preventing there being a gap there, so it only really needs to be put in place and held there by whatever is easiest - which may be silicone or some other glue. Much less trouble than messing about with mortar.

The "ceiling" thing on top is probably some more of the asbestos cement board that was used to close the cavity at the top which was common.

 

[MattB83]

The brick is not doing anything except preventing there being a gap there, so it only really needs to be put in place and held there by whatever is easiest - which may be silicone or some other glue. Much less trouble than messing about with mortar.

The "ceiling" thing on top is probably some more of the asbestos cement board that was used to close the cavity at the top which was common.

Thanks for this Woody - Interestingly I've spoken to a neighbour who just had her roof done - they put PVC over the soffits as suspected asbestos - so I guess this will be an option if/when we need our roof done.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I'm assuming silicone because 1) the brick isn't bearing any weight and 2) it's under the soffit and so won't be taking any beating from the rain? Unfortunately the cement is in really bad shape - I'm wondering if I could drill a small hole and get a masonry screw in the brick to give me something to grab onto and position it with.

Not a chance, any attempt to drill it, even if the mortar was still holding it, would end in it being pushed away from you. If you need a 'handle' on it, could you maybe Araldite a screw head onto the face of the brick?

 

[MattB83]

Not a chance, any attempt to drill it, even if the mortar was still holding it, would end in it being pushed away from you. If you need a 'handle' on it, could you maybe Araldite a screw head onto the face of the brick?

Good plan - I've just got some Araldite - will update when I've done (the climate in Newcastle seems to be that Araldite takes much longer to set than claimed!)