Asbestoseal – asbestos roof coating
Asbestoseal was the UK’s first dedicated asbestos roof refurbishment system and is ideal for refreshing and prolonging the life of aged asbestos cement roofs.
More than just roof paint, Asbestoseal is a full refurbishment system designed by Chartered Building Surveyors to tackle the issues that commonly affect asbestos cement roofs.
It should be noted that most asbestos cement roofs are now more than 40 years old.
With a design life of only 25-40 years, (according to The Royal Instition of Chartered Surveyors) most have now reached the end of their economic life.
We recommend that asbestos cement roofs are replaced or overcladded.
Coating should be considered with care, since the value of coating these roofs is questionable.
Application of the Asbestoseal System
Asbestoseal was the first BBA Approved, dedicated asbestos roof coating system on the market with a stated and tested service life of at least 25 years, but in July 2024, we took the decision not to renew the certificate for this product for economical reasons.
Asbestoseal can be applied by brush, roller or airless spray, usually in a single coat. Where aesthetics are important, the appearance of the system can be improved by the use of a surface primer, a mist-coat if spraying, or the application of an additional coat of Asbestoseal.
Liquasil can provide guidance to professional specifiers, along with budget costs based from a site visit, or from your own photographs, as long as they are of suitable quality and quantity.
Application of Asbestoseal can be carried out on occupied buildings, so there is rarely any disruption to your business.
Why Use Asbestoseal?
The life expectancy of an asbestos or fibre cement roof is 25 to 40 years (according to RICS) and many are now at, or near the end of their economic life, suffering from a range of issues.
For a roof coating to be successful, it must tackle all of the problems that are generally associated with this type of roof.
The Asbestoseal system comprises three main components to achieve this;
SWT Corrosion Primer that is applied to all metal fixings such as hook bolts. This prevents rust breaking through the coating (which is a very common problem with other coatings);
Non-Sag Sealer, a specially formulated silicone that is brush applied to all primed fixings to re-seal failed rubber seals and also used for instantly sealing small holes and cracks in roof sheets;
Asbestoseal is the asbestos roof paint, made from silicone polymers, that is applied to the entire roof to form a complete protective membrane that will help prevent further deterioration of the asbestos cement roof sheets.
Asbestoseal was designed by our own building surveyors to provide a very long-lasting solution to problematic asbestos cement roofs. It can also be applied to asbestos cement cladding.
This product is available only for use on commercial and industrial premises. We do not supply it via merchants or to anybody that has not been through our Approved Installer training.
There are three main reasons for this.
- System failures are more likely to occur when specialist products are used by untrained personnel.
- Warranties are available exclusively via Liquasil Approved Installers.
- Asbestos roofs are fragile and require rigorous health and safety precautions. Liquasil Approved Installers understand this and therefore, any price they quote, will include for this.
The greatest risk posed by asbestos roofs arises from the potential of falls from height, rather than from asbestos contamination, because all asbestos roofs are considered to be fragile.
More importantly, if you are considering painting an asbestos roof, the client becomes responsible in law for the health and safety, so you should not risk using companies that are not competent to work safely on asbestos roofs.
If you are in any doubt about this, we offer an optional, dedicated project management service through our own Chartered Building Surveying Practice.
Under no circumstances should a non-qualified person manage an asbestos roof coating or replacement project. Always seek professional assistance.
Asbestos cement products were banned from use in the UK in 1999, but many older roofs remain in place today and are at, or have already exceeded their predicted life span. Consequently, many building owners are now experiencing difficulties with their asbestos cement roofs.
Did you know that it might not be possible to coat your asbestos roof?
There are certain defects, that if present in large areas, could render the roof beyond economical repair. Only a site survey will determine this and even then, an inexperienced surveyor might not know what to look for.
Similarly, a commission-hungry salesperson or a “consultant” with a vested interest might not even care.
Liquasil Ltd doesn’t employ sales people and doesn’t pay sales commissions either internally, or to consultants, so there is never a conflict of interest.
This means that if we think a roof is not suitable for coating, we’ll be the first to tell you. Not only that, we’ll also suggest alternative options for you to consider.
What about the rooflights?
Asbestos roofs contain GRP rooflights and they can often be a source of water ingress. In fact, next to gutters, they are the most common source of roof leaks on asbestos roofs.
For this reason, we usually recommend rooflight replacement as part of any asbestos roof coating project, because it’s often cost-neutral and not replacing them is often a false economy.
What about the Gutters?
Valley gutters on asbestos roofs are a major source of water ingress. This is because they are often more difficult to access for cleaning due to the fact that roof cannot be easily trafficked.
Also, the roof sheets often oversail the gutters making it difficult to remove debris from.
If the gutter itself is made from asbestos cement, it can be susceptible to the same defects as the roof sheets- mechanical damage, surface porosity, delamination etc.
For this reason, we usually recommend rooflight replacement as part of any asbestos roof coating project, because it’s often cost-neutral and not replacing them is often a false economy.
Cleaning Asbestoseal
Asbestoseal is absorbed into the surface of the asbestos cement and is susceptible to environmental soiling. It is a soft coating that can be damaged by impact, abrasion or harsh jet washing.
Coated surfaces can be cleaned using low pressure jet wash, holding the lance at least 12 inches from the surface of the coating. Turbo lances must NOT be used.
If required, we can supply an anti-fungicidal was that will clear the coated roof of any fungal growth that might be present on the roof.
Alternatively, smaller roofs can be cleaned using a mild detergent such as Fairy Liquid and water, agitating the surface with a sponge or soft bristle car washing brush and then rinsing with clean water.
If the product is damaged after installation, it should be easily over-coated again with Asbestoseal, since no other coating product is likely to adhere to the treated surface.
COATING ASBESTOS ROOFS
There are now very few industrial roofing contractors who will accept projects to work on asbestos roofs.
Even our own installer base is getting smaller because of the complexities and cost involved in health and safety and access requirements.
For this reason, we strongly suggest that asbestos roofs are replaced.
Asbestos roof replacement is not cheap, but a new roof will remove the asbestos problem and a new composite or built-up steel roof will be far more heat efficient than the old asbestos cement roof.
A new roof will undoubtedly increase the value of industrial premises.
If you are specifier and you have no option than to consider a coating solution, please call us on 0121 790 5352 and we will do our best to provide you with the correct guidance.
Did you know that all of our team members are qualified asbestos surveyors?
Did you know they all work as building surveyors too?
We can help you with your asbestos roof like no other coating company.
Call us on 0121 709 5352.