# Asbestos Removal



## cmerritt (Jan 16, 2011)

Hello Gentlemen. I'm new to this forum and thus far have enjoyed the reading the threads. 

Most of my roofing experience is dealing with residential roofing in sales and installation. The installation in my younger years and door to door sales now.

Has anyone had experince with asbestos tile removal. My mother has a ministry that houses women getting out prison and helps them get their life together. The house they use is an old farm house with so called "Americana Transite Shingle" See link below.

After several attempts to fix leaks it really needs to be removed and typical shingles installed. The tile is on 4 pitch so the more you're on it the more damage you do.

Any suggestions on the "Abatement" process. This home is in N.C. Roughly 36 square. This ministry runs on very little money so is there an alternative to hiring a company who specilizes in this. This type doesn't seem to be as dangerous as other types of abestos products.


http://www.customtileroofing.com/Tiles-Asbestos-Gallery.asp


Thanks 

Chris Merritt
803.325.5662


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## Grumpy (Oct 29, 2008)

The only suggestion I can make is to hire a certified asbestos abatement contractor to do the removal, and you come in and do the shingling. I've bid several jobs this way, won none, and the guys who did the work were too stupid to realize they were dealing with cancer causing materials and did not take the proper precautions. 

Such is life. The last thing I need is an OSHA or EPA fine or a law suite. I'd rather lose it to some hack. Some customers just don't care so it's your job as the salesmen to make sure they are aware of the situation and that you will be working with someone who specializes in asbestos.

Could my guys properly and safely remove the asbestos roof? Sure, if I knew all the rules and regulations, which I do not, so why take the risk if there are firms that specialize in this sort of thing?


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## MGP Roofing (Mar 23, 2010)

I've done a couple of these sort of jobs, make sure you read all the rules and regulations before you start, wear all the right safety gear, wet the tiles if it doesn't make the roof too slippery to walk on, don't break up the tiles as you remove them, wrap the debris in polythene and dispose of it at a licensed facility. Some of the dumpster companies here can dispose of it, you just have to line the dumpster with poly before you stack the wet tiles/sheets inside.
And choose a cool day to do it, its easy to overheat in those suits during the summer!
I got trained in this when I was doing landscaping/fencing type work, there are a lot of fences, garden sheds etc that were built with asbestos back in the 50's and 60's that are now falling apart.
Here, it's not that hard to get certified, I did a few weeks work with a specialist removal company, sat a exam that took about an hour. That was to let me do the sort of job you have. I'd have to have done a couple of years with that company before I could do the friable materials like pipe insulation on my own. However I looked on the net, looks like your regulations are a lot more complex.


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## cmerritt (Jan 16, 2011)

Thanks for the info. The abatement guys are around 8k just to remove it so for now it will have to work!


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## Interloc (Apr 6, 2009)

we had to wear funny white suits and masks whenever we removed asbestos..i would certainly not just wear regular clothing while tearing and removing...like back in the day.


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## DFWRoofing (Apr 27, 2010)

If there ever was a "consult an expert" time, this may be it.

It would scare me to death.


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## RoofPro (Oct 29, 2008)

Your comments about the relative danger of this type of asbestos is for the most part true, but local regulations can make removal and disposal very difficult. 
Check you local codes - you may be able to get away with setting purlins over the tiles and fastening them to the rafters/joists then you can install a standing seam metal roof secured to the purlins. This will require some tricky metal work at the eaves and rakes - but may be your most cost effective option.


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## MGP Roofing (Mar 23, 2010)

This roof has a few asbestos tiles mixed in with the cellulose-cement ones, and has asbestos ridge caps. Here's a couple of pics that may help anyone contemplating doing one of these.


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## CIRACONSULTING (Jul 1, 2011)

*Removing asbestos can in fact be a greater risk than leaving it in place*

Exposure to asbestos can be a serious health risk. However, removing asbestos from a home or building is not always the best solution. If, for example, the asbestos is undisturbed and intact, removing the asbestos can in fact be a greater risk than leaving it in place. The act of removing asbestos can disperse particles into the air, where they can then enter the lungs and cause long-term health problems.
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9DFBp9T8vg[/YOUTUBE]


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## MGP Roofing (Mar 23, 2010)

CIRACONSULTING said:


> Exposure to asbestos can be a serious health risk. However, removing asbestos from a home or building is not always the best solution. If, for example, the asbestos is undisturbed and intact, removing the asbestos can in fact be a greater risk than leaving it in place. The act of removing asbestos can disperse particles into the air, where they can then enter the lungs and cause long-term health problems.
> [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9DFBp9T8vg[/YOUTUBE]


Thats why the asbestos wall sheets and soffit linings are still in place on my own house. Only remove if the material needs to be removed before renovations or demolition or when the roof or whatever needs to be replaced because it leaks or is becoming friable.


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## 1985gt (Dec 21, 2010)

Like most have said check your local reg's before starting. Some state you need a license some you just need to be certified. Funny thing here a HO can do it them selfs and just throw it in the trash. If a contractor does that then you will have a whole lot of unwanted people knocking on your door. Two types of asbestos do some reading when its "locked" in to another material its not bad, or you can use water. Dust think old car brake linings are very very bad. Lots of info out there.


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## oldroofer (May 10, 2011)

the rules use to be if residenial,if you tear off and it was still going to be a residential, you do not have too go thru all the red tape eviromential,epa rules . but if you was remodeling a risident to become a commercial, building you do have to follow epa guidelines , but this being amintry you proberly will.


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