Zippo1
Bronze Member
I have a property with a 1,300 square foot home on it. Home was built in the late 50's and has asbestos siding. I would like to remove the siding, replace the windows and install hardi plank.
Our area allows the homeowner to remove the asbestos and the local dump will accept it.
Wondering if the removal of the siding is as big a deal as it is made out to be. I will wear the appropriate mask but do I need to suit up and water down the siding?
My thinking is I can just use a nail puller and remove most of the siding without damaging it. Thoughts?
I don't have a good answer for you but I do have my own story to relate. About 30 years ago I bought a house with old siding. At the time I didn't know that some siding contained asbestos but I did no it looked awful and needed replacing. I had the local sanitary service bring me a dumpster and I went ahead and removed the siding (and old roofing) myself and put it all in the dumpster. I did not wear any protection since I didn't know there was any problem. Two days after the service company picked up the dumpster I got a call from a local air quality guy who explained to me that the siding contained asbestos and asking me to come into his office. I went and he explained that the sanitary service company had to shut down the whole recycle center and stop all inbound deliveries while people in hazmat suits separated my asbestos siding from all the garbage. They had to specially double bag all of it (about 3 yards or so total) and take it to a special landfill somewhere down near Seattle. I told him that if I'd known it contained asbestos and that it was such a problem I would have just dug a hole and buried it on my property. He informed that he didn't just hear me say that and - if he had - he was required to report it! Sheesh! Apparently I could have been charged for all the work removing and bagging my siding and for the time the sanitary service company was shut down. Fortunately they didn't do so. Would I do it myself again? No, I wouldn't.