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Asbestos siding can be dangerous, but it doesn't necessarily pose a health risk if it's in good condition and left undisturbed. The danger comes from inhaling asbestos fibers, which can be released if the siding is damaged, deteriorating, crumbling, or disturbed during remodeling or repairs. Exposure to these airborne fibers can cause serious, life-threatening diseases like asbestosis (lung scarring), mesothelioma (an aggressive cancer), and other lung cancers.

If your asbestos siding is intact, the general recommendation is to leave it alone. However, if it's damaged or you plan to renovate, it's crucial to handle it safely. Due to the significant health risks and the difficulty of containing the fibers, it is not recommended to perform any asbestos work yourself. Instead, you should hire a professional asbestos removal company to inspect, repair, encapsulate, or remove the material. The presence of asbestos can also negatively impact your property's value.

Although the use of asbestos has declined since the 1980s, it remains in several different types of building construction materials for insulation and as a fire retardant. Typically, asbestos can be found in materials such as ceiling and floor tiles, heat-resistant fabrics and coatings, and roof shingles. You may also find asbestos in textured paint and patching compounds.

There are products that still contain asbestos, but they were typically installed decades ago. Common places where you may still find asbestos-containing materials are in siding, wrapped around ductwork, in older appliances (i.e., stove and gravity furnaces), and in floors. Asbestos was primarily used as an insulator, so anywhere in an older home where you lose heat is where you will most likely find asbestos.

Whether or not to buy a home containing asbestos is ultimately a decision for the homebuyer, and there are several things to consider. When in good condition and contained, asbestos is unlikely to present a health risk—it’s when those tiny fibers are loose and airborne that they become a problem. Consider any renovations you plan on doing to the home that could disturb existing asbestos and the cost of removal. If an inspection finds asbestos in a home on the market, you could negotiate with the seller for a lower price, though this isn’t a sure thing.