If your Adelaide home, shed, garage or carport was built before about 1990 and has a grey, ribbed, cement-looking roof, there is a real chance it contains asbestos. You cannot tell for certain by eye, and you should not try to find out by touching, breaking or climbing on it. This guide explains the clues that raise suspicion, how to get a definite answer safely, and how a licensed removal and steel re-roof usually fits together.
Why older Adelaide roofs are a concern
Asbestos cement sheeting was widely used across Australia for much of the twentieth century because it was cheap, light and fire resistant. Its use in building products wound down through the 1980s, and asbestos was banned nationally at the end of 2003. That means post-war houses, many homes from the fifties through the eighties, and plenty of backyard sheds, garages and carports around Adelaide may still have it.
On roofs it was most often used as corrugated sheeting, including the deep, wide profile commonly called Super Six. Flat fibro sheets were also used for eaves linings, gable ends and soffits, so the roof may not be the only place it appears.
Clues that a roof may be asbestos cement
None of these confirm asbestos on their own, but together they are a good reason to be cautious.
| Clue | What to notice |
|---|---|
| Age | The roof or building dates from before about 1990 |
| Profile | Wide, rounded corrugations, deeper than typical steel sheet |
| Surface | Dull, grey and slightly rough, with no metallic sheen |
| Weathering | Lichen, moss or dark staining, with a chalky look up close |
| Fixings | Large bolts or screws with dome-shaped washers through the crests |
| Edges | Thick sheet edges, typically several millimetres, rather than thin metal |
| Sound | A dull thud from rain or hail rather than a metallic ring |
Look from the ground or through a window. If you can see the underside in a shed or carport, the sheets may show a fibrous, compressed texture. Do not scrape, poke or break anything to get a better look.
Things that look similar but are not
Some newer products resemble old fibro. Fibre cement sheeting made after asbestos was phased out uses cellulose fibres instead, and modern steel roofs come in profiles that can look chunky from the street. Some corrugated plastic and polycarbonate sheeting on pergolas and carports can also be mistaken for it at a distance. That is why age and documentation matter, and why testing is the only way to be sure.
How to get a definite answer
- Check the paperwork. Building plans, renovation records or a previous owner's notes may say what the roof is made of. A building inspection report from when you bought the house may also mention it.
- Treat it as asbestos until you know otherwise. Assume suspect sheeting contains asbestos and keep everyone off it.
- Have a sample taken and tested. A qualified asbestos assessor or other competent person can take a small sample using the right precautions and send it to an accredited laboratory. SafeWork SA's homeowner guidance explains the options, so check with them about who should take it.
- Keep the result. A written test result helps when you get quotes and plan any removal.
What not to do
This is the most important part of the guide. With a suspected or confirmed asbestos cement roof, do not:
- Walk on it. Old sheets can be brittle and give way without warning, and falls through fibro roofs cause serious injuries as well as releasing fibres.
- Water-blast or pressure clean it. This can strip the surface and spread fibres around the yard and into neighbouring properties.
- Cut, drill, sand or grind it, including to fix a solar panel bracket, an aerial or a new screw.
- Break it up or bin it. Asbestos waste must be handled and transported properly and disposed of at an EPA-licensed facility.
- Scrub off lichen or moss, which disturbs the surface.
If storm damage has broken sheets and debris is lying in the yard, keep children and pets away, do not sweep or mow over it, and get professional advice before anything is moved.
How replacement usually works
Most homeowners with an ageing asbestos roof decide to replace it rather than live with ongoing worry and repair limits. The usual sequence looks like this:
- Inspection and quotes. A roofer assesses the roof and framing from a safe position, and a licensed asbestos removalist quotes for the removal.
- Approvals and notifications. SafeWork SA sets out the licensing and notification requirements for asbestos removal, so check with them. If the house is a heritage place or in a heritage area, or the roof shape will change, check with your council about development approval before work starts.
- Removal. The licensed removalist sets up controls, wets down and removes sheets whole where possible, wraps the waste and takes it to an EPA-licensed facility. Air monitoring or a clearance inspection may be required, depending on the job.
- Framing check. With the sheets off, the roofer checks the battens and rafters. Many fibro roofs sit on light, low-pitched framing that suits steel well, but rotten or undersized members should be fixed now.
- New roof. New steel sheeting, usually Colorbond or Zincalume, goes on, along with sarking or insulation if you have chosen it. Our guide to roof insulation during replacement covers those options.
Good coordination between the removalist and the roofer keeps the house open to the weather for as short a time as possible. Our metal roof replacement page explains the steel side of the job, and the step-by-step roof replacement process shows how the stages fit together.
Solar panels on a suspected fibro roof
Solar panels have gone onto a lot of Adelaide roofs, and some older fibro roofs have been fitted with panels over the years. If you are planning solar and suspect the roof is asbestos cement, sort out testing and replacement first, because mounting brackets need holes through the sheeting. If panels are already fixed to a suspect roof, ask about how they will be removed safely when the roof is replaced, and make sure the solar installer, the removalist and the roofer are talking to each other. Mention the panels when you ask for quotes so nothing is left out.
Sheds, garages and carports
Smaller outbuildings are often where older fibro survives longest. The same rules apply: leave it alone, get it tested and use licensed professionals for removal. Replacing a fibro shed roof can be a smaller job than the house, and some homeowners deal with it at the same time as a main re-roofing project.
Cost and contractors
We don't publish prices, as removal and replacement costs depend on the area of sheeting, access, height, the condition of the framing and the disposal requirements. Our roof replacement cost guide explains what drives the total.
We ask the contractors we work with to hold the licences and insurance the job needs, including the right asbestos removal licence where that work is involved. Ask to see them before work starts. Builder licences can be checked on the Consumer and Business Services (CBS) public register, and SafeWork SA can tell you how to check an asbestos removal licence.
If you think your roof may be asbestos, contact us and we will connect you with a local roofer who can explain the next steps.