Asbestos-cement roof shingles and a minority of asbestos-reinforced asphalt shingles were used in US residential roofing from the 1920s through the late 1980s. Intact roofs are low risk; the exposure event is roof tearoff. Hexagonal and diamond-pattern asbestos-cement shingles installed between 1930 and 1960 carry the highest probability. Standard three-tab asphalt shingles were less commonly asbestos-bearing but should be tested if installed before 1989. The U.S. EPA banned asbestos-containing roofing felt in 1989; some asphalt shingle formulations were phased out alongside it.
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Run the calculatorHow to identify asbestos roof shingles
Two distinct shingle types contain asbestos. First, asbestos-cement shingles: rigid, hard, gray (often painted), with hexagonal, diamond, or rectangular profiles. They were popular for residential roofing from 1920 to 1960 and remained in production through the early 1980s. Brittle, brittle-snapping, and clearly distinct from modern asphalt shingles.
Second, asbestos-reinforced asphalt shingles: visually identical to modern three-tab asphalt shingles. The asbestos was used as a reinforcing fiber in the asphalt mat. Color, pattern, and surface granules are the same as non-asbestos shingles of the same era. Visual identification is unreliable; only a lab test confirms.
Era is the strongest indicator. Pre-1989 asphalt shingles have a meaningful probability of asbestos content. Asbestos-cement shingles from 1930 to 1960 are nearly certain. Post-1989 shingles are very unlikely to contain asbestos due to the EPA's 1989 ban on asbestos roofing products.
Original-roof homes are the primary risk. Tear-off events expose the underlayment (felt) and the shingle layer simultaneously, both potentially asbestos-containing. If the home has had a single re-roofing job in its history, the original shingles and felt may still be present beneath the newer layer (a common practice through the 1990s).
What you can and cannot do safely
Intact roofs are low risk during normal occupancy. Rain, wind, and routine weather do not significantly disturb asbestos shingles. The hazard is roof tear-off: cutting, ripping, sawing, and bagging old shingles releases fibers across a large exterior surface. Hail damage, tree damage, or a roof leak that requires immediate repair can also be a disturbance event.
Do not perform a DIY tear-off on a pre-1989 roof without testing the existing shingles and felt. Do not allow a roofing contractor to begin tear-off on a pre-1989 home without confirming asbestos status. Re-roofing over the existing layer (overlay) is permitted in many jurisdictions and is the encapsulation path; some local codes prohibit it after the second layer.
What to do next
Step 1: Take a bulk sample of the shingle (chip approximately 2 cm by 2 cm) and a separate sample of the felt underlayment if accessible. Sample from a roof edge where shingles have lifted or from a section the contractor has already begun removing. EMSL and Western Analytical accept roofing materials.
Step 2: If positive and the roof is intact, overlay (re-roof over the existing layer) is the lowest-risk path where local code permits. If the roof must be torn off (code requirement, structural issue, or moisture damage), hire a licensed abatement contractor.
Step 3: National cost ranges. Overlay re-roof: $4 to $8 per sq ft. Tear-off with asbestos abatement: $50 to $120 per sq ft. Full residential roof: $8,000 to $25,000 or more depending on size and pitch.
Regulatory authority
The U.S. EPA's 1989 Asbestos Ban and Phase-Out Rule banned asbestos-containing roofing felt and several roofing-product categories, establishing 1989 as the primary regulatory date for this material class (EPA, "EPA Actions to Protect the Public from Exposure to Asbestos," epa.gov). OSHA's construction standard (29 CFR 1926.1101) classifies the removal of asbestos-containing roofing materials as Class II asbestos work, requiring respiratory protection, a regulated work area, and proper disposal (OSHA, osha.gov). The EPA NESHAP (40 CFR Part 61 Subpart M) regulates the disposal of asbestos-containing roofing waste from any reroofing or demolition project (EPA, NESHAP, epa.gov).
Risk by home build year
| Era | Risk | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Before 1989 | Do Not Disturb | Asbestos-cement and asbestos-asphalt shingles were standard residential roofing materials. |
| 1989 to 1995 | Test Recommended | EPA ban took effect 1989; some pre-ban inventory continued to ship. Test before tear-off. |
| After 1995 | Low Risk | Asbestos effectively absent from US residential roofing shingles. |
Key visual cues
- Rigid gray asbestos-cement shingles with hexagonal, diamond, or rectangular profile (1920-1980).
- Pre-1989 asphalt three-tab shingles on an original or first re-roof.
- Brittle-snapping shingles that crack rather than flex.
- Original roof on a pre-1989 home that has not been torn off.
- Layered roofs with original shingles still present beneath newer layers.
Safety
Do not perform a DIY tear-off on a pre-1989 roof without testing the existing shingles and felt. Re-roofing over the existing layer (overlay) is the encapsulation path where local code permits. Tear-off must be performed by a licensed abatement contractor for confirmed ACM.
Source: EPA 1989 Asbestos Ban and Phase-Out Rule. OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1101 Class II asbestos work.