Over the years, manufacturers have tried to turn a number of materials into residential roofs, including asbestos, which was later found to be harmful to people's health. Since asbestos is no longer allowed to be used as a building material, the number of homes that have asbestos roofs continues to decrease. Unfortunately, some homeowners don't even know that they have asbestos roofs. Calling a River Oaks roofing professional is one of the quickest and easiest ways to ensure that a home is free of asbestos.
The reason most homeowners aren't aware that they have asbestos roofs is because not all asbestos shingles are made entirely of asbestos. Instead, the bulk of their composition is other materials such as cement. The amount of asbestos found in the roofing material varies from 5 to 35 percent depending on the manufacturer. The only way to be sure of how much asbestos is in a roof is by doing laboratory testing.
If homeowners believe that their roofs are made out of asbestos, they shouldn't attempt to find out on their own. Instead, they should contact roofing professionals as soon as possible. Typically, asbestos doesn't cause any problem until the material containing it starts to break down. At this point, the asbestos fibers are released into the air and can be inhaled by the homeowner, eventually causing lung cancer.
Have a question regarding residential roofing or storm damage? Please ask the roofers from Houston Restoration Services of River Oaks.
Homeowners should also be aware that asbestos is used not just in the making of roof covering but also in other areas of the roofing system.
The way in which asbestos is dealt with is determined by the home's location. Each state has its own regulations regarding the removal and dumping of asbestos. The overall goal, however, is to prevent it from crumbling or becoming reduced to a powder. Once asbestos becomes powder, it's easy for people to inhale, causing harm to their lungs. Homeowners can contact professional roofers to get a better idea of how asbestos needs to be dealt with in their particular area.
Once an asbestos roof has been removed, the homeowner will have to get in touch with a roofer to install a new roof. Since most of the homes that still have asbestos roofs are older, the homeowners may be limited to the roofing materials they can choose. For example, older homes often don't have the structural support to handle the weight of slate, clay or concrete without having structural support added. However, these homes should be able to support the weight of other roofing materials such as wood shakes or metal.
