# Built up roofing asbestos



## Rooferqq (May 31, 2012)

Hey guys so I am really freaking out and came to ask the experts. I am 23 and about a year ago I helped my dad remove a built up roof, consisting of layers of tar paper. I myself didn't rip out the roof but just threw the pieces into garbage bags. Being that there was only a little duast on the roof and none really in the air I didn't wear a mask. I also swept the roof and helped lay down the new tar paper. We didn't do the whole roof but rather just a portion to help lead rainwater to the gutter. overall I couldn't have spent more than 5 days on the job but now my mind is playing tricks on me and saying I was up their longer. My dad brought the building in December of 1991, and tore out the whole existing roof. The old roof was torn out and the new one put in between 1992-1994. At first I thought I was okay because I read that roofing felt and built up roofs stopped using asbestos in the 1980's. But then I read that asbestos was never banned in built up roofs and can still be in use today. What is killing me is that I had no knowledge of this and was simply trying to help and now I feel this will come back to haunt me as I heard the felt can have 10-15 percent asbestos. It seems that when it is used it is chrystolite which is the best type.

My questions are: was I at risk during this job? What are the chances that there was asbestos in this roof? I am really scared. I have family members in construction and they say I shouldn't be worried at all. Of couse my dad removed four roofs in the early 90's containing felt and flashing and such and here he is 20 years later and fine. But I am still scared. What do you guys think of built up roof removal that was put in in the 90's without a mask. *


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## Grumpy (Oct 29, 2008)

Why would you be scared? What is done is done and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it now. Live life, worry about what you can control, not the past. 

Are you experiencing any symptoms, do you have lung cancer?

A simple mask would have accomplished nothing to stop the asbestos if present, you would have needed a respirator and a full body suit and a decontamination shower before removing the suit to wash the asbestos dust away. Having said that, a mask isn't a bad idea for all the other dust though. 


This is one of the oddest questions I have heard/read in awhile and has my spider senses tingling.


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## Pie in the Sky (Dec 21, 2011)

Grumpy said:


> This is one of the oddest questions I have heard/read in a while and has my spider senses tingling.




:laughing:

Don’t sweat it man. First of all we can’t Diagnose you. Second, Its HIGHLY unlikely there was even asbestos in the felts if they were put on in 92. Unless they were old and sitting around somewhere, I’m almost positive at that time there was no asbestos in felts, Only in roof Mastic/cement. If There was, it was most likely in the flashings (Walls). Even if you did tear a bunch of asbestos out, it was Non-friable meaning it was mostly encapsulated in tar. I have been present on a bunch of air sampling on roofs that had tested positive for asbestos and the results of the sampling was a joke. Very little content in the air. The sampler said he had tested higher concentrations in "public spaces" in cities just from past construction. Grumpy is right, you worry too much. The people who get asbestosis worked in the Mines or were exposed to it daily.. 

We reeeaaaaallllyyy could have messed with you…


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## 1985gt (Dec 21, 2010)

What Pie said. Nothing to really worry about, thousands and millions of squares of BUR are torn off every year. Flashings with asbestos are very unlikely to cause you any problem, even more unlikely would be to have any symptoms of asbestoses with in a year, from one job.

I probably wouldn't have posted this here, the EPA should be looking for you soon as you did not double bag, date and dispose of them according to your local regulations. I would be more worried about this.


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## Pie in the Sky (Dec 21, 2011)

1985gt said:


> I probably wouldn't have posted this here, the EPA should be looking for you soon as you did not double bag, date and dispose of them according to your local regulations. I would be more worried about this.


 
Oh no... I hope Im not an accessory because I comment on this....


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## 1985gt (Dec 21, 2010)

You should probably go in to hiding.


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## Billy Luttrell (May 3, 2010)

John Wayne would roll asbestos into his 8 packs a day of unfiltered smokes.


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## [email protected] (Mar 28, 2011)

Lol. You'll be fine. Have you ever read the warning on shingles that says this product is known to cause cancer in California. What about Idaho or anywhere else? Then you talk and work with guys that have been in the industry for 30+ years and they don't complain about cancer. They drink beer and take meds because their knees and backs hurt, plus their hands. take calcium, magnesium, and zinc and it will help. It takes about a year before you notice a difference, but it works. An old codger told me that.


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