Non Asbestos Roof Slates

Many asbestos roofs and siding are damaged cracked or broken.

Non asbestos roof slates.

When the use of asbestos became forbidden manufacturers rushed to replace asbestos containing products with cement based products reinforced with non asbestos materials. This can release fibers into the air. They are finished with a high quality semi matt acrylic coloured coating to the top face and edges and a tinted or transparent high performance binder to the back face. Before the 1980s most artificial roofing slate was made from asbestos cement a material that had a long track record of successful performance.

A number of non asbestos manufactured or synthetic slates or fiber cement roof shingles slate tiles that were produced when manufacturers stopped using asbestos were made using wood fibers or other materials. Asbestos roofing tiles are predominately comprised of cement. Asbestos was banned in 1989 so as the buildings that incorporated it age their roofing and siding will fall into disrepair. Cembrit fibercement slates are manufactured using portland cement together with a non asbestos formulation of superior blended synthetic and cellulose fibres.

The slates are pigmented during production and are fully compressed. It only takes being exposed to asbestos one time to get mesothelioma and other lung diseases and any improper handling of asbestos can impact a person s health down the road. The asbestos content will vary on the manufacturer but the content will typically be 15 or less. The fire resistant properties of these roof tiles weren t the only reason they were so popular as asbestos is incredibly durable and strong.

Thanks to its impressive durability and fire resistance the mineral was widely used in a variety of roofing slates. Asbestos containing roofing materials were a popular choice for the citizens of the u s.