Pressure Washing Old Asbestos Siding

Bob vila interviews a contractor in the process of using a pressure washer to remove paint from exterior wood siding.

Pressure washing old asbestos siding.

If you do power wash use as gentle a touch as possible and quit if you find that you re knocking pieces of siding off. If the tiles are in really good shape and your only looking to clean them not prep for paint. When you say asbestos shingles i presume you mean asbestos siding shingles. If there is fraying on the edges of the tiles the answer is no.

From there water can damage insulation electrical wiring and can spur mold growth. I d like to remove it and put on new siding but that job is prohibitively expensive right now. Do not use a high pressure hose to clean fiber cement siding. Many homes used this type of siding because it was easy to clean and more durable than other substances.

Asbestos cement roof damaged by washing. This is one of the few ways that you can damage it. These are easily prepared and easy to repaint. Asbestos cement can be dangerous if pulverized by sawing sanding breaking etc.

This article warns about un supervised or un trained environmental cleanup companies or work crews handling asbestos lead mold and similar indoor contaminants including identification of amateur or improper asbestos abatement projects that failed to properly remove materials or that left abandoned asbestos materials in place. The use of a pressure washer for maintenance can crack the siding and lead to moisture intrusion if the pressure setting is high enough. Cleaning this siding takes some care since asbestos could be released into the air and cause health problems for those present. Asbestos siding achieved its height in popularity between the 1920s and 1970s.

While it s possible to wash wood siding correctly there s also a good chance that water will find its way up and under the exterior surface if you use high pressure. For more on house painting visit. So i think i ll just put on a fresh coat of paint. Then as long as your using a lower pressure wand with the fan spray you will be fine.

The biggest concern is that you should avoid power washing asbestos siding as it can chip or damage the siding and release dangerous asbestos fibers into the air. Power washing of asbestos wall tiles can be done but its condition must be considered first. Asbestos cement siding is very brittle and can be easily chipped cracked or broken. I have an old house with asbestos cement siding.

You can power wash any loose paint or simply scrape and remove any. If you feel that you need to use a pressure washer especially on harder to reach locations only use it at a low pressure under 1500 psi with a wide tip.