Asbestos garage roofs: what to know, and what never to do

Only a lab test can tell you for sure. Your photo helps us send the right kit.

What is an asbestos cement roof?

Asbestos cement is cement with asbestos fibres mixed in, usually white asbestos, to make it strong and light. Corrugated sheets of it were used on garages, sheds and outbuildings all over the UK until the late 1990s. The gutters, downpipes and wall panels on the same garage may be asbestos cement too.

Can I tell by looking?

No. Newer fibre cement sheets, made without asbestos, look almost the same. Age is the best clue: if the garage or shed was built before 2000, it's worth testing before any work. Only a lab can tell you for sure.

Never climb onto a cement roof.Old sheets are brittle and can give way under your weight without warning, and falls through fragile roofs cause serious injuries. Don't stand or kneel on the sheets, and don't lean a ladder against them.

Is it dangerous?

In good condition, asbestos cement is a low risk, because the fibres are held tightly in the cement. Over the years, weather, moss and lichen wear the surface, and sheets crack or break. Fibres are released when the sheets are cut, drilled, broken, scrubbed or jet-washed.

Don't jet-wash it or scrub the moss off.
Don't cut, drill or sand it, or use power tools on it.
Don't break up old sheets to get rid of them.

How to test it

Send us a photo of the roof, and one of the whole garage. If you can reach the edge of a sheet safely from the ground, the kit's step-by-step guide shows you how to take a small sample from it. If you can't reach it safely, don't try. Tell us, and we'll advise.

Send us a photoUse the free AI photo check. Snap the area, answer three quick taps, and see what's worth testing and how many samples you'd need.
Take a small sampleThe kit comes with a proper mask, gloves, sample bags, a spray bottle, a step-by-step guide and a return envelope.
Post it to the labYour sample is analysed by a UKAS-accredited laboratory.
KnowYour result comes to you by email, in writing.

If it contains asbestos

If the roof is sound, you can usually leave it alone and check it now and then for cracks and damage. If it's damaged, or you want it replaced, use a professional asbestos removal contractor. Your local council can tell you how asbestos waste is collected or taken in where you live.