However roof tiles can potentially become dangerous when the tiles begin to deteriorate thereby exposing the asbestos fibres.
Red asbestos roof tiles.
In most cases asbestos roof tiles pose no health hazard in and of themselves.
This type of roofing material can have various colors from different shades of grey to red green and even blue.
Asbestos roof tiles can be dangerous the main reason why asbestos roof tiles need to be replaced by safer alternatives is that the asbestos fibers used to build the material pose a health hazard when inhaled and when they come into contact with the skin.
The dangerous fibres of the substance are kept firmly in place by the cement.
Sbestos was once considered a miracle material used in everything from paint and pipe insulation to even tiling.
Asbestos roof tiles were used from the early 1920s all the way in to the late 1980s.
Asbestos tile is a type of roofing tile made up of a combination of portland cement and asbestos fibers and various fillers.
In the early 1920s american roofing material manufacturers johns mansville carey eternit and century were all offering at least one asbestos cement roofing shingle to their customers.
This is because until the 1980s asbestos was not fully recognised to be hazardous to the health of anyone exposed to its fibres.
Asbestos roof tiles are usually square shaped and their colour is generally a combination of grey and black.
They can last for more than 40 years and if undamaged they pose little risk of exposure.
The fire resistant properties of these roof tiles weren t the only reason they were so popular as asbestos is incredibly durable and strong.
Older building have a higher probability of containing asbestos building materials.
The only way to accurately identify asbestos roof tiles is to have them tested by a ukas accredited laboratory.
All mastic or bitumen based pressed metal roof tiles should be suspected of containing asbestos.
The use of asbestos cement roof shingles was growing at a steady rate in the united states.
Manufacturing in the united states began in 1905.
This combination was first used in europe in the 1870s.
The asbestos content will vary on the manufacturer but the content will typically be 15 or less.
But other types of roof tiles containing asbestos also exist.
However asbestos can be a range of colours depending on the material it is mixed with.
Asbestos cement roof tiles are usually square shaped and their color is a combination of grey and black.
Tiles which contain asbestos include mastic or bitumen based pressed metal roof tiles that were produced prior to the early 1980s.
However once considerable testing proved that it was a killer the miracle became a nightmare to deal with and remove.
