Until the 90s of the last century, asbestos was often used in fiber cement for roof tiles, corrugated roof tiles or roof tiles. Asbestos was also often used in the roof as insulation or insulation material. However, the health hazard posed by asbestos has long been known.
Asbestos has therefore not been manufactured or used in Germany since 1993. In 2005, an EU-wide asbestos ban was even issued. Nevertheless, the health risk is not yet completely averted, since materials containing asbestos are still used in many old buildings and on many roofs, for example in the form of corrugated asbestos sheets.
What is asbestos?
The ancient Greek origin of the name "asbestos" describes the material quite precisely, since it means "imperishable" or "long-lasting". These are naturally occurring, fiber-like silicate minerals, which are characterized by their particular insensitivity and resilience. In addition, asbestos is non-combustible and very easy to combine with other materials.
When is it worth renovating an asbestos roof?
For many homeowners, the question arises of how to recognize and properly dispose of asbestos. The procedure initially depends on the processed asbestos. It is therefore important to clarify which form of asbestos was used on the roof. An asbestos analysis can determine which form has been used and to what extent.
What types of asbestos are there?
First, a distinction is made between bound asbestos and weakly bound asbestos. Both types of asbestos can be installed in buildings that were built between 1900 and 1993.
Basically, there is always a danger when fine asbestos fibers are released. Asbestos is usually present on roofs in a strongly bound form - as asbestos cement or corrugated asbestos or asbestos corrugated sheets - which is initially harmless to health.
These products include corrugated asbestos sheets, for example. The proportion of asbestos in the corrugated sheets is an average of ten to 15 percent. If they are undamaged, they do not pose any health risk at first.
Fibers are only released when cutting, drilling, breaking or milling such building materials. You should therefore avoid any mechanical processing of such materials as far as possible. Simply brushing asbestos roof panels or treating them with a high-pressure cleaner can remove dangerous fibers.
The risk potential of weakly bound asbestos products is different: Due to their high asbestos content of more than 60 percent, the fibers can be released by slight vibrations. Products such as sprayed asbestos, lightweight building boards or electrical appliances therefore pose a health risk and should be removed immediately after a positive asbestos analysis by specialist construction companies.
The handling of asbestos should be left to experts
you should generally refrain from handling asbestos yourself. If you suspect asbestos in the roof or in the roof truss, you should definitely consult experts. This applies in particular to demolition, remediation and maintenance work - these should definitely be carried out by experienced specialists, as only they can correctly assess the level of asbestos, disposal and remedial work.
In the case of an asbestos roof, a new covering is always the safest solution. Even conventional weathering can detach fibers from the asbestos panels and possibly be inhaled by house residents or neighbors. However, if the covering is still fully functional and is professionally serviced at regular intervals, there is no immediate danger from an asbestos roof.
Asbestos removal increases the value of your property
In addition to its health hazard, asbestos has another unpleasant side effect. Because of the harmful building material, the total value of a property is considerably reduced. After all, no buyer is interested in keeping an ecological and economic legacy. Professional asbestos removal is therefore not only beneficial for health, but also financially.
Even if you want to install a solar or photovoltaic system on your roof, you must replace the old roofing, provided that it is corrugated asbestos panels or other material containing asbestos. A covering or coating of the old asbestos roof is not recommended and even prohibited by law, after all, it only conceals the problem and does not solve it. If a new covering is required, you must have it completely dismantled. Even old nails and screws must be removed.
Once the asbestos-contaminated material has been removed from the roof, you must properly dispose of the asbestos. Building materials with asbestos are special waste and must be transported to the landfill packed in airtight sealable bulk bags (so-called big bags). The same applies to waste disposal as applies to asbestos removal in general: it is better to contact a certified roofing specialist company too soon rather than too late, because waste disposal, which is already expensive, will probably become even more expensive in the future.
How asbestos changed from miracle fiber to health risk
Because of its excellent chemical and physical properties, asbestos was considered a "miracle fiber" in the 1960s and 1970s. The fibrous mineral is heat, fire and acid resistant, very tensile and at the same time elastic and has a high ability to bind with other materials. Because of these properties, the fabric has been widely used in the construction, shipyard and automotive industries.
The fibrous silicate was processed, among other things, into corrugated roofing sheets, facade cladding, insulation materials, brake pads or water pipes. Asbestos was even used in older household appliances such as toasters, electric storage ovens and hair dryers. Only in the course of the late 1980s did building materials containing asbestos come into general criticism due to the increasing number of deaths.
How dangerous is asbestos?
Climatic influences, aging and decay, but also mechanical processing and destruction of asbestos-containing products such as asbestos panels can cause the finest asbestos fibers to get into the air we breathe. If the fibers are inhaled, they can cause chronic inflammation in the lungs and, in the long term, cancer. In theory, just one inhaled fiber can be enough to cause cancer. But this shouldn't be a reason to panic. The actual risk increases statistically the longer and more intensive the contact with the fibers. It is therefore important to recognize and act on asbestos in good time.
People who have been exposed to asbestos are at an increased risk of developing asbestosis after about ten years. This is hardening and scarring of the lung tissue, which can lead, among other things, to shortness of breath, coughing up irritation or tough expectoration. In addition, even a small amount of inhaled asbestos fibers can cause cancer after a latency period of up to 30 years.
Breast cancer, called pleural mesothelioma, is also an asbestos-related disease. Its symptoms include pleural effusion - a build-up of fluid in the pleural cavity that can cause shortness of breath and chest pain. However, pleural effusion is often benign.
Nowadays, asbestos is primarily a disposal problem. Because the substance has been used in so many ways, it will still take some time before all sources of risk are finally eliminated. It was already known at the beginning of the 20th century that inhaling asbestos dust can make people sick. Asbestosis was discovered as a disease around 1900.
who is particularly at risk?
However, some lung specialists believe that a climax of asbestos-related lung diseases is still imminent. This has to do with the fact that diseases caused by asbestos fibers have a long latency period and asbestos protection measures were only introduced in the course of the 1970s.
Especially construction workers who were born in the 1940s and were exposed to asbestos for at least ten years during their working life are at risk of developing mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer that affects the breast coat. In the majority of cases, it is caused by inhalation of asbestos fibers or by smoking.
According to a British study, carpenters born in the 1940s are particularly at risk of mesothelioma. They are followed by installers, painters and electricians. Persons who were exposed to substances containing asbestos in the 1960s and 70s should therefore contact a pulmonologist and advise them of this suspicion. Only a specialist can actually assess whether there is an increased risk. In fact, only inhaled asbestos fibers pose a risk, and this risk is also determined by the total duration and amount of exposure to asbestos. Pure skin contact with asbestos, on the other hand, is harmless. According to experts, asbestos particles, depending on the size of the room, settle from the air to the floor after about five to ten minutes. From there they are no longer breathed in unless they are whirled up again.
If you have undamaged, non-weathered corrugated asbestos panels on the roof yourself, you do not belong to the group of people at risk. However, you should still deal intensively with the removal of contaminated building materials and think about a comprehensive renovation for a long-term healthy living environment.