Old siding that may contain asbestos: leave it, cover it or have it removed?
Updated · KeystoneProGuide editorial team
Can house siding contain asbestos?
Yes. The EPA lists roofing and siding shingles among the places asbestos may be found in a home, and names asbestos cement products among the building materials it was used in. It does not give dates for when siding containing asbestos was made, and it says you generally cannot tell whether a material contains asbestos by looking at it unless it is labeled. If you own an older house with shingle siding of unknown make, the honest answer is that you do not know until it is tested.
Is it dangerous?
Usually not while it is intact and left alone. The EPA says asbestos-containing materials that are not damaged or disturbed are not likely to pose a health risk, and that material in good condition that will not be disturbed should be left alone. Exposure generally happens only when the material is disturbed or damaged so that fibers are released, and the EPA lists the ways that happens: when it is damaged, removed improperly, repaired, cut, torn, sanded, sawed, drilled or scraped. The health effects it names are lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis.
That makes a siding project the moment of risk. Removing, cutting and drilling are all on the EPA's list, which is why the question has to be settled before the crew arrives, not once the first shingles are off.
When should you have it tested?
Before remodeling that would disturb it. The EPA says you may want an inspection by a trained, accredited asbestos professional if you are planning to remodel or if building materials are damaged. It says sampling should be done by a professional, that taking samples yourself is not recommended, and that sampling done badly can be more hazardous than leaving the material alone. If the siding is undamaged and will not be disturbed, it says testing is not needed.
The EPA also advises against a conflict of interest: the professional who assesses whether repair or removal is needed should not be connected with the firm that does the removal. Using two different firms is its recommendation.
What are the options?
The EPA describes two kinds of action by trained, accredited professionals when material is more than slightly damaged or will be disturbed: repair and removal.
Repair leaves the asbestos in place. It means either sealing the material so fibers are bound or coated, or covering it, which the EPA calls enclosure. Its examples are pipe and furnace insulation, not siding.
Removal may be required, the EPA says, when remodeling or major changes will disturb the material. It must be done only by a trained, accredited professional, and the EPA warns that improper removal can increase exposure.
Leaving it alone is the third choice when the siding is sound: the EPA's do's and don'ts start with leaving undamaged material undisturbed and keeping an eye on it for wear.
Can new siding simply go over it?
That is the question most homeowners ask, and the sources do not settle it. Pennsylvania's regulation leaves the installation of vinyl or aluminum siding on an existing home outside the building code unless a local ordinance says otherwise, so the code itself does not forbid it. The building code that applies where a permit is needed requires a water-resistive barrier and flashing behind any new cladding, and vinyl siding fastened into framing or sheathing.
But the EPA's own list of don'ts says not to saw, sand, scrape or drill holes in asbestos-containing materials, and fastening new siding or furring through old shingles would mean driving fasteners through them. Whether covering is acceptable on your house, and how it would be done, is a question for an accredited asbestos professional before any contract is signed, not a decision to leave to a sales visit.
Who may remove it in Pennsylvania?
The EPA says federal law does not require people who remove asbestos from a detached single-family home to be trained and accredited, but that some states and localities do, and it urges homeowners to hire workers who are. In Pennsylvania, the Department of Labor and Industry lists asbestos removal contractors and workers among the few trades it certifies itself. Ask a removal contractor for proof of certification, and for a written contract that sets out the work plan, cleanup and the federal, state and local rules it will follow, as the EPA advises.
What about Philadelphia?
The city has its own rules. Its Air Management Services says a notification form must be filed at least 24 hours before encapsulating or removing less than 40 linear or 80 square feet of asbestos, and that larger amounts need a permit, which only a licensed asbestos abatement contractor can receive. Property owners must follow these rules, and the city runs an Asbestos Information Line at (215) 685-7576.
How does this affect the price and the lead question?
Cost surveys price siding removal in general, not asbestos removal: Fixr gives $1,000 to $2,500 to remove and dispose of old siding. Asbestos assessment and removal are separate trades with separate prices, so ask for them separately in writing. If the job also disturbs painted trim on a house built before 1978, the EPA's lead rule applies to that work as well; demolition of painted surfaces is always covered by that rule, however small the area.
Before hiring, see diy or hire for what not to attempt yourself, and businesses are on the exterior remodeling directory page.
Sources
- Learn About Asbestos, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Protect Your Family from Exposures to Asbestos, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Contractor Licensing, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry
- 34 Pa. Code 403.1. Scope., Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Code)
- Chapter 7 Wall Covering, 2021 International Residential Code, International Code Council
- Apply for an asbestos project permit, City of Philadelphia
- How Much Does It Cost to Replace Siding? [2026 Data], Fixr
- Renovation, Repair and Painting Program: Contractors, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency