If you’re the homeowner, asbestos siding removal is permitted in most states without any special licensing or training or permits, if you handle the task yourself.
If you hire a professional, though, they must be licensed to handle asbestos abatement.
While you legally can remove asbestos siding from your own home in most states, whether you should or not is another question entirely.
If you’re adequately prepared and take the necessary precautions, yes, you can safely remove asbestos siding yourself.
If you aren’t prepared and don’t take the necessary precautions, there are serious health risks in attempting to remove asbestos siding yourself.
Can I Remove Asbestos Siding Myself?
In many cases homeowners are better off leaving asbestos siding in place and encapsulating it with vinyl siding or other products.
Asbestos is only dangerous when it’s broken up and the fibers are airborne, as then it can be inhaled and become a cancer risk.
The mere presence of asbestos in building materials isn’t dangerous as long as it lies undisturbed, so in many instances it’s actually much safer to leave asbestos in place instead of attempting to remove it.