Yes, it is legal to cover (or "encapsulate") asbestos siding. In fact, it is often the preferred, most cost-effective method, as it avoids the health risks and high costs associated with tearing the siding down and disposing of it.
Yes, you can safely cover or "encapsulate" asbestos siding with new materials like vinyl, aluminum, or fiber-cement. Because asbestos cement shingles are classified as "non-friable" (not easily crumbled by hand), leaving them in place and siding over them is an approved, highly effective strategy that avoids dangerous removal costs.
Does asbestos siding affect resale value? It may reduce the buyer pool, but it doesn't always lower prices, especially in markets where older homes are common. Others may request a price reduction or walk away due to perceived risk.
The mere presence of asbestos in a home or a building is not hazardous. The danger is that asbestos materials may become damaged over time. Damaged asbestos may release asbestos fibers and become a health hazard. THE BEST THING TO DO WITH ASBESTOS MATERIAL IN GOOD CONDITION IS TO LEAVE IT ALONE!
The question is, “what insurance companies will cover asbestos siding?” And the answer is that most of the time, asbestos is not covered by insurance premiums. Due to its carcinogenic properties, removing asbestos is quite expensive, and most insurance companies will not include it in their policies.
Remember, asbestos is a problem only if fibers are released to the air. Unless cement asbestos board siding is being disturbed, it will not release asbestos fibers. Hence, the safest, easiest and least expensive option may be to leave it alone. Sometimes, it is possible to work around asbestos without removing it.
No medical procedure can completely remove asbestos fibers once they become embedded deep within the lungs. While the body clears some fibers naturally, those that lodge in lung tissue are permanent. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms, slowing disease progression, and supporting lung function.
While there is no completely safe level of asbestos exposure, a single 30-minute exposure is generally considered low-risk and highly unlikely to cause illness. Asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma and lung cancer, are typically linked to heavy, long-term or repeated occupational exposure over many years.
Usually the best thing is to leave asbestos-containing material alone if it is in good condition. Generally, asbestos-containing material that is in good condition and will not be disturbed (by remodeling, for example) will not release asbestos fibers.
Determine the Age of Your Home
Typically, homes built after the late 1970s or early 1980s will not have to worry about asbestos siding as it was discontinued due to health concerns. However, if your home is built before or during those years, you may have asbestos in your siding.
The most famous actor who died of mesothelioma is Hollywood icon Steve McQueen.
The "3-5-7 rule" is a standard asbestos bulk-sampling guideline established under the EPA's AHERA regulations. It dictates the minimum number of random samples a certified inspector must collect from a "homogeneous area" (material uniform in color and texture) of suspect, friable surfacing material.
Covering (encapsulating) asbestos siding costs between $4,000 and $20,000+ for a typical home. The exact price depends on your home’s square footage and whether you choose to paint the siding or install a new layer of siding (like vinyl) over the existing material.
These tiny particles mix in with dust and can stay airborne for hours. Many sources suggest fibers can stay airborne for 48 – 72 hours. But the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports a wider range. The EPA reports a range of 4 – 80 hours for asbestos fibers to settle from a height of 9 feet.
Federal Regulations: Under federal law, sellers are required to disclose the presence of any hazardous materials in the home, including asbestos. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforces regulations under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) and the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
Asbestos-Related Death Statistics
Of all the conditions, asbestos-related lung cancer claims the most lives. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer and is, therefore, the second-leading cause of death from asbestos exposure.
Covering asbestos siding takes roughly half the time as removing the original siding, but it might not be the best idea. For the majority of homeowners, it is better—and safer—to pay a pro to remove and replace the asbestos siding. After you receive the all-clear, then put up new siding.
The surveyor will start to carefully remove all the asbestos materials from the property once they are satisfied the area is completely contained. Once the asbestos material has been removed, the surveyor must secure them in sealed disposal containers before they can be taken out of the property, past the sealed area.
Your lungs can naturally clear some inhaled asbestos fibers through coughing and a mucus-clearing process, but many fibers become permanently lodged deep inside lung tissue. There is no medical treatment or procedure to remove embedded fibers once they are inside.
The inhalation of airborne asbestos fibers is directly linked to several serious and fatal respiratory diseases. The three primary diseases include:
The quickest way to stop worrying about asbestos is to understand that it is only dangerous when friable (crumbling) and physically disturbed. If undisturbed and in good condition, materials containing it pose virtually no risk. The vast majority of asbestos-related diseases occur from heavy, repeated, long-term exposure in occupational settings.
Inhaling a small amount of asbestos rarely causes immediate symptoms, as your body naturally clears most of these fibers. However, there is no completely safe level of exposure. Trapped fibers can permanently lodge in lung tissue, increasing the long-term risk of severe, delayed illnesses.
Both smoking and asbestos are extremely dangerous, but in terms of public health impact, smoking is generally considered worse because it causes a vastly higher number of deaths worldwide.
The earliest signs of asbestos-related lung conditions (like asbestosis or mesothelioma) typically include shortness of breath (initially only during physical activity), a persistent dry cough, and chest tightness or pain. Because symptoms take 20 to 50 years to appear, these subtle changes are often overlooked.