Naturally occurring asbestos has some interesting properties that led to its extensive use in various industries. Asbestos fibers are virtually impossible to burn. They are resistant to the action of heat, acids, alkalis, and electricity. Additionally, just like strands of fiberglass, asbestos fibers are excellent binding fillers when added to materials like cement, starch, asphalt, and polymers.

This double-edged quality of asbestos led to its inclusion in many fabricated building materials like roofing tars and felts, caulks, mortar, and roof tiles. Resulting products were heat and damage resistant.

What Is Asbestos Roofing Felt?

Between 1971 and 1974, a new kind of material called roofing felt was developed. This was nothing but saturated asbestos sheets coated with asphalt. A must-have during those times, the popular ‘built-up’ roofs consisted of alternating layers of asbestos-reinforced roofing felt and asphalt. While these were very risky, they were reportedly in use for a short period of time only. Soon after, the use of asbestos was banned in the US.

Risk posed by asbestos containing materials depends on a number of factors, such as:

• The type of asbestos (length of the individual fibers)
• The type of material (whether used with cement or rubber)
• The amount of exposure.

What Types of Asbestos Roofing Materials Are Dangerous?

Spray-on asbestos coating is the most dangerous form of asbestos because it is most exposed to destructive forces. By that same measure, asbestos used on roofing tars, sidings, and shingles are less harmful when they are in good condition.

However, potential risk of asbestos exposure, even from roofing material, is very real. Many asbestos-reinforced building structures were built before the 1990s, which means that they could be showing significant wear and tear. Such surfaces are silently releasing harmful fibers into the atmosphere and these are ingested by humans in all walks of life.

The greatest threat from asbestos-enriched products lies in the fact that the threat is difficult to identify. Most workers and consumers breathe in the deadly material accidentally. Maintenances workers in the construction industry, shipyards, and factories face very high risk of exposure. Research indicates that disablement benefit awards for asbestosis are on the rise among this section of people, so are death certificates for asbestosis. Studies also indicate that lung cancer caused by asbestos exposure is rampant among people who were occupationally exposed to it.

If you believe that you have a strong case of suspected exposure, we can help you decide where to file a lawsuit and offer you state-specific legal advice.