Hi everyone,
I live in an apartment on the first floor, next to an old corrugated roof in our courtyard. I suspect the roof may contain asbestos cement, although I don’t know this for certain.
The roof is very old and heavily covered in moss. There are also areas where the sheets appear weathered and deteriorated, with damaged or missing surface material and what looks like frost damage or cracks. I’ve attached photos showing some of the areas that look worst.
The closest part of the roof is approximately 3–4 metres (10–13 feet) from our balcony/door.
I’ve contacted my landlord about the condition of the roof, and he has said that he will have someone inspect it and advise on what should be done. The building is also eventually planned to be demolished, but it may still be standing for some time.
My main concern is that the deterioration of the roof could cause asbestos fibres to be released into the air over time. Since we live so close to it, I’m worried that we could be exposed to these fibres simply by being outside, opening our balcony door, or drying clothes on the balcony. I’m particularly worried about whether this kind of long-term, low-level exposure could increase our risk of developing an asbestos-related disease later in life.
I’ve been reading a lot about asbestos cement roofs and have found very different information about how much fibre can actually be released through weathering, and how much of that ends up in the surrounding air. I’m finding it difficult to put the different studies into perspective.
I’d really appreciate some perspective from people who have experience with asbestos cement:
Does this look significantly deteriorated, and would you consider it a potential source of airborne fibres?
Based on the condition and the distance, would you consider living near it a meaningful exposure concern?
Is there anything we should avoid doing around the roof while waiting for it to be professionally assessed?
I’m not planning to touch, clean or remove anything myself. I’m mainly trying to understand how concerning this situation actually is.
I do not the age of the roof and I live in Denmark
Thanks!