Asbestos was widely used in roofing for its fire resistance, weatherproofing, and durability. Roofing materials installed before the 1980s — shingles, felts, coatings, and cement roof panels — may contain asbestos.
Asbestos Roofing Products to Recognize
- Asphalt roof shingles and felts — asbestos was added to the felt backing and asphalt matrix of many shingles and roofing felts.
- Asbestos-cement roof shingles and panels — rigid, brittle gray “transite”-type roofing, sometimes with a corrugated or slate-like profile.
- Roof coatings, mastics, flashing cement, and sealants — black tar-like roofing compounds frequently contained asbestos.
- Built-up roofing layers on flat commercial roofs.
How to Tell
- Age: roof or roofing layers installed before ~1985.
- Rigid, brittle gray cement shingles or panels are a strong indicator of asbestos-cement roofing.
- Multiple old layers of built-up roofing and mastic.
- Only laboratory testing confirms asbestos content.
Why Removal Is Risky
Weathered asbestos-cement roofing and old roofing felts release fiber when cut, broken, ground, power-washed, or torn off. Re-roofing and demolition are the high-exposure activities — an intact roof is lower-risk.
What to Do
- Don’t cut, grind, power-wash, or tear off suspected asbestos roofing.
- Test before re-roofing or demolition.
- Use a licensed abatement contractor for removal of confirmed materials.
Occupational Exposure
Roofers, sheet-metal workers, and demolition crews who installed, cut, and removed asbestos shingles, felts, and roofing mastics were exposed repeatedly — including from heating and applying asbestos-containing roofing compounds.
If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease and were exposed to asbestos while installing, cutting, or removing roofing materials, you may be entitled to compensation through asbestos trust funds and civil litigation.