How to tell if your garage roof is asbestos cement
- Grey, ribbed or corrugated sheets, often with a slightly furry or mossy surface after years outside.
- Fixed with hook bolts or screws through the ridges.
- Fitted before 2000, especially on prefabricated concrete garages and sheds from the 1950s to the 1980s.
- Matching asbestos cement gutters, downpipes or a flue nearby.
Modern fibre cement sheets look very similar, so get a small piece from the edge tested by a UKAS-accredited laboratory using a test kit, without walking on the roof.
Is an asbestos garage roof dangerous?
Asbestos cement usually contains a modest proportion of asbestos locked into cement. In reasonable condition and left alone, it releases very little. The risks increase when sheets are broken, drilled, cut with power tools, jet-washed or wire-brushed, or are so weathered they are crumbling.
Never stand or walk on an asbestos cement roof. The sheets are fragile and people are killed every year falling through them. Any work on the roof needs proper access from below or from a platform, with protection against falling through. See working at height.
Your options for asbestos roof sheets
| Option | Things to know |
|---|---|
| Leave it | Fine if the sheets are sound and the roof doesn't leak. Check it now and then. |
| Coat or seal it | Specialist coatings can seal weathered sheets. HSE task sheets cover cleaning and painting asbestos cement without creating dust. Never jet-wash. |
| Over-roof it | A new roof can sometimes be fixed over the old sheets, leaving them undisturbed. Check the structure can take it. |
| Remove it | Most work on asbestos cement can be done by trained non-licensed workers (HSE task sheet A14 covers removing sheets and small structures). Sheets should come off whole, kept damp, and never be broken or dropped. |
Disposing of asbestos cement sheets
Asbestos waste is hazardous waste. It must be wrapped in heavy-duty polythene, labelled, and taken to a site licensed to accept it. Many councils accept small amounts of asbestos cement from householders by arrangement, sometimes for a fee. Check your council's website before you start. Never break sheets up to fit them in a car or skip, and never put them in household waste.
If you think you have disturbed asbestos: stop work, keep everyone out of the area, don't sweep or vacuum the debris with a household vacuum, and get advice from a licensed asbestos contractor or surveyor. HSE says you must stop work and follow its guidance if you think you have found asbestos.
Asbestos cement roof checklist
ASB-AC · Rev A| Check | Yes / No / N/A | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sheet sample tested by a UKAS-accredited lab | ||
| Condition recorded (sound, weathered, cracked, broken) | ||
| Nobody to walk on the roof; access planned from below or a platform | ||
| Decision recorded: leave, seal, over-roof or remove | ||
| Removal by trained contractor following HSE task sheet A14 | ||
| Sheets removed whole and kept damp; no breaking or dropping | ||
| Disposal site or council arrangement confirmed before starting | ||
| Waste double-wrapped in heavy polythene and labelled |
Planning building work on a pre-2000 property? A survey finds asbestos before your builder does. Get a free, no-obligation asbestos survey quote.
Frequently asked questions
Can I remove an asbestos garage roof myself?
HSE strongly encourages using trained professionals and says householders shouldn't remove asbestos materials without training. Most asbestos cement removal is non-licensed work for trained workers. Whoever does it must avoid breaking sheets, keep them damp and dispose of them as hazardous waste.
Is it safe to jet-wash an asbestos roof?
No. Jet-washing or wire-brushing asbestos cement releases fibres and spreads contaminated debris. HSE task sheets cover cleaning weathered asbestos cement safely.
Do I have to remove an asbestos garage roof before selling?
No. There is no general legal requirement to remove asbestos from a home before selling, but buyers and their surveyors may ask about it. A test result helps.
How do I dispose of asbestos sheets?
As hazardous waste, wrapped in heavy polythene and taken to a licensed site. Many councils accept small quantities from householders by arrangement. Check your council's website first.
Sources
This guide is written from the legislation and HSE guidance below. Last checked 23 October 2026.