Asbestos Bitumen Roofing Felt

Construction workers used asbestos felt as an underlayment for shingles and it was also sometimes the main material used in built up roofs.

Asbestos bitumen roofing felt.

Asbestos roofing felt being cut. These systems are sometimes used to construct roofs in the form of roofing felt or roll roofing products. In fact most other roofing products produced in the early to mid twentieth century contained asbestos. As a rule intact felt is considered pretty safe as the asbestos is firmly embedded in bitumen so the dust issue does not arise unless the edges are badly weathered even then the quantity to be released is pretty small more dangerous if burnt though.

But the workers who installed the felt were very likely exposed to the dangerous asbestos fibers. Old exterior roofing felt on flat roofs or sheds is also a possibility. Bituminous waterproofing systems are designed to protect residential and commercial buildings bitumen asphalt or coal tar pitch is a mixed substance made up of organic liquids that are highly sticky viscous and waterproof. Roofing felt and underlayment.

Roofing tar and asphalt liquids. The felt was made up of sheets of asbestos material that was then covered with asphalt. As long as the asbestos remained sealed beneath the asphalt the roof felt was not dangerous for those who worked lived or played inside the buildings. These roof mats were widely used in built up roofs in the us epa 1990c.

The primary applications for asbestos felt included. Asbestos fibers found their way into these roofing products. However tasks on these particular materials can be carried out by non licensed workers who are appropriately trained. Shingles weren t the only roof product containing asbestos materials.

Asbestos can also be found in spray coatings lagging and insulation boards cement panels floor tiles and bitumen felt mastics sealants putties and adhesives textured coatings and paints yarns etc. Asbestos felt was often laid under linoleum vinyl and asphalt floor tiles for padding and insulation. I had a look at the old felt we had removed and it s a black tar type felt with what looks like stands of hessian in a criss cross pattern and some sort of paper on the back. It was a universal solution to roof concerns.

Various guides go into detail about other asbestos locations. Information about health and safety at work. Work on any type of asbestos can be dangerous. Hi did any old bitumen roofing felts used in residential pitched roofs contain asbestos.