Asbestos!

[Jill Rossi]

Hi all, I'm considering buying a property entirely clad in asbestos siding.  Has anyone dealt with this and what did you do?  I was told I can just put new siding up over the asbestos and it would be effectively encapsulated.  Is this true and what do I do if I need to cut a hole in the wall for something like a window - do I have to get an abatement team in there to do that?  Any advice or experience would be much appreciated.  Would you run away as fast as possible, or is this not that big a deal?  Thanks!!!

[JD Martin]

Roy is right. There is no "trouble" in covering it up - you just cover it up. 50% of the older houses in my area that have vinyl siding on them have asbestos shingles underneath. I know of no one that has removed the siding, which is far more dangerous than covering it up (and not terribly dangerous comparatively speaking anyway). Encapsulating asbestos whenever possible is always the easiest and safest route, as it is harmless when it's not airborne.