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Housewrap over asbestos siding

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Housewrap over asbestos siding (post #192741)

BeeDub on Mon, 08/23/2010 - 10:21
in

I am about to install vinyl siding siding over existing asbestos siding.  Is there any value to wrapping the house in Tyvec first before applying the vinyl siding.  Will this cause other problems?  Thanks for your input.  BeDub

-A +A

1) Where do you live?  (post #192741, reply #1 of 9)

by DanH in reply to BeeDub [original] on Mon, 08/23/2010 - 14:04

1) Where do you live?  Housewrap is more important the farther north you go.

2) What's the construction of the walls -- asbestos siding, what kind of sheathing?, insulation?, plaster or drywall?

3) What are you planning to do to flatten the siding for vinyl installation?  Use fanfold?

4) Will the asbestos hold nails (probably not), or do you have to nail through to the sheathing?


We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be using Nature's inexhaustible sources of energy -- sun, wind and tide. ... I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that. --Thomas Edison

Reply to DanH (post #192741, reply #2 of 9)

by BeeDub in reply to DanH [original] on Mon, 08/23/2010 - 14:29

Hi Dan,

I live in the north in Westchester County just north of New York City.  The house is 50 years old.  The house is a Cape Cod style with the second floor dormered in the back.  It is a stick build home with 1x5x3/4 sheathing covered with roofing felt and a single layer of asbestos shingles.  On the inside, the wall construction is wallboard lath skimcoated with plaster that runs in thickness depth from 1/2" to 3/4". There is no insulation in the walls.  You are correct.  The asbestos will not hold a nail so I will need to use nails long enough to make it to the sheathing.  My thinking is that by wrapping the house, it will prevent any asbestos from going into the atmosphere and will keep the neighbors at bay (they tend to want to mind my business a lot).  Also, when you nail into asbestos, it can crack or shatter and release fibers so the wrap will trap that and keep the workers safe.  I just don't want to create a situation where, by putting the warp on, it creates a barrier that prevents the wall from breathing properly and becomes a souce for growing mold.

Regards,

 BeeDub

BeeDub (post #192741, reply #3 of 9)

by calvin in reply to BeeDub [original] on Mon, 08/23/2010 - 16:18

Be warned that the lower course (or two) of asbestos siding sometimes has a habit of fracturing and then sliding (tipping) out behind / below your new vinyl.

Do the installers have some experience (sounds like you are hiring the work out) working around asbestos siding?

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Sounds like housewrap would (post #192741, reply #4 of 9)

by DanH in reply to BeeDub [original] on Mon, 08/23/2010 - 17:16

Sounds like housewrap would be a good idea, from several standpoints.

I wonder if there isn't some subtance you can spray/brush on the shingles first to keep them from falling apart?  You'd want something that could "breathe", though.

You didn't say what you're going to do to flatten the surface for the vinyl.  If you go directly over the shingles I'm thinking you'll get some fairly bad rippling (though I have no first-hand experience with this combo).


We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be using Nature's inexhaustible sources of energy -- sun, wind and tide. ... I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that. --Thomas Edison

Asbestos (post #192741, reply #5 of 9)

by Shacko in reply to BeeDub [original] on Wed, 08/25/2010 - 13:17

I think you should check out the rules in your area, It look like they have one on anything pertaining to asbestos with a fine for not complying, luck.

"If all else fails, read the directions"

In many areas the HO can deal (post #192741, reply #7 of 9)

by DanH in reply to Shacko [original] on Wed, 08/25/2010 - 17:38

In many areas the HO can deal with asbestos if he takes certain minimum precautions -- much less involved than if it's hired out.


We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be using Nature's inexhaustible sources of energy -- sun, wind and tide. ... I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that. --Thomas Edison

Asbestos (post #192741, reply #8 of 9)

by Shacko in reply to DanH [original] on Thu, 08/26/2010 - 07:57

I went to the N.Y. site just out of curiosity and they had so many regulations that I got tired of reading it. It could be like the new regulation applying to working on possible lead contaminated dwellings. There's so many rules out there it's a good idea to check before you get into a jackpot.

"If all else fails, read the directions"

My opinion, remove it or live (post #192741, reply #6 of 9)

by MarkH in reply to BeeDub [original] on Wed, 08/25/2010 - 15:42

My opinion, remove it or live with it.  I think it will ruin the vinyl job.

siding (post #192741, reply #9 of 9)

by k1c in reply to BeeDub [original] on Sun, 08/29/2010 - 17:10

2 houses ago, I did the same thing with vinyl over asbestos siding (1x3 sheets with verticle ripples).  I put felt paper only.  By the way, I live in northeast NJ.

I think even inspectors have come to realize that asbestos is safe when it is contained.  Shattered, cracked, broken pieces of asbestos siding were allowed, last time I heard, to be thrown out the normal way.  Asbestos, like lead, becomes a threat only when they are cut or sanded into a dust. 

If you have tough rules, keep the siding and use tarpaper only.  Tyvek costs more and will not add benefits, especially in this case where proper sealing will be difficult.

I pass by this house now and then, and so far the vinyl looks good and straight.  I did take care not to hammer in too far and try not to hammer past the imaginary straight line.  That is, not following the line set by the old siding, overlaps and such.  Hope this helps.