The safe, affordable way to update your home, without disturbing the asbestos
Intact asbestos-cement shingles are stable and low-risk. Tearing them off is what releases fibers, and it requires costly licensed abatement. Covering them in place seals them behind new siding, and here is how we address every concern.
Why Cover Instead of Remove?
✓ Safer: Asbestos-cement shingles only release fibers when they are broken, sanded or torn off. Leaving them in place keeps them sealed and stable.
✓ Less costly: Removal requires licensed asbestos abatement, special disposal and permits, which can add thousands of dollars to your project.
✓ Faster: No tear-off means less mess, less noise and a shorter job at your home.
Your Concerns, Addressed
✓ Asbestos exposure: Nothing is torn off, sanded or cut with power tools. Any loose shingles are re-secured, not removed, and cracked pieces are misted to keep dust down.
✓ Trapped moisture: Breathable house wrap, drainage-channeled insulation and a furring-strip air gap let water drain out and let the wall dry.
✓ Wavy siding: Furring strips create a flat, straight surface over uneven shingles, so your new siding lies true.
✓ Weak fastening: Furring strips and siding are nailed through to the wall studs, not just into the old shingles.
✓ Hidden rot: We probe the walls before we start. Soft or damaged areas are repaired before anything is covered.
✓ Windows & doors: New flashing, J-channel and trim keep water out of every opening.
✓ Drafty, cold walls: Rigid foam insulation adds R-value, cuts drafts and lowers your energy bills.
Why moisture won’t get trapped: We never use plastic or non-breathable barriers. The house wrap sheds water but lets vapor escape, the insulation board is channeled to drain, and the air gap behind the siding drains and dries the wall. |
How We Install It
- Inspect: We check walls, sheathing, windows and doors for rot, damage or past leaks.
- Protect: We lay drop cloths, mist any cracked shingles and never use power tools on the asbestos.
- Wrap: The walls are covered in breathable, water-resistant house wrap, lapped and taped at the seams.
- Insulate: Rigid foam board with built-in drainage channels goes over the wrap, with seams taped.
- Fur out: Treated furring strips are nailed through to the studs to create a flat surface and a drainage gap.
- Flash: Windows, doors and roof-to-wall joints get new flashing, including kick-out flashing where roofs meet walls.
- Install: Starter strip, J-channel and vinyl siding go up, with the siding’s built-in weep holes left open to drain.
- Finish & clean: We add matching trim and aluminum wrap, then complete a full debris cleanup and final walk-through.
What the Insulation Does for You
✓ Lower energy bills: It adds a continuous layer of insulation over the studs, where most heat escapes.
✓ Stronger siding: It backs the vinyl panels so they resist dents and hold a straighter line.
✓ Quieter home: It helps block outside noise from traffic and weather.
Good to Know
GenSun follows all New Jersey and local rules for work on asbestos-containing materials. The shingles stay sealed in place, and we recommend noting them in your home records for any future renovation or sale.