Measuring Moisture Content In Concrete Walls

A moisture meter is a device designed to measure the percent of moisture content of various building materials such as roofing siding insulation drywall plaster wood tile fiberglass and concrete structural and safety hazards such as mold rot and decay are all potential consequences of elevated moisture levels in these materials.

Measuring moisture content in concrete walls.

To avoid these failures from occurring a variety of test methods are used to determine the amount of moisture in concrete before installing flooring. Therefore it s advisable to have a floor tested for moisture content prior to installing flooring or moisture barriers. Normal readings measure between 7 and 13 percent. So knowing the relative humidity rh conditions is a must when trying to determine what a safe moisture content for wood walls is.

Methods used to measure moisture in concrete the plastic sheet method1 astm d 4263 as the most familiar method for. When testing the moisture content in non wood materials such as concrete a relative scale of 0 to 100 is often used where 0 is bone dry and 100 is saturated. Typically this scale ranges in the 5 to 40 range. So we ve put together a list of tips for measuring concrete moisture using both moisture meters and the more reliable astm f 2170 standard.

Detecting moisture in concrete can be tough to do accurately. It will discuss the meth ods that are used to measure the moisture found in a concrete structure and how ex cess moisture can be removed. Often more than one method is used to get an accurate reading of actual moisture content. Given the realities of moisture in concrete and the necessity of measuring the moisture condition of the concrete slab accurately only one clear conclusion exists.

Most moisture meters are calibrated to wood which provides a relatively accurate reading in wood moisture content. For example if the temperature in the room is around 80 degrees fahrenheit and the rh is 50 then a safe level of moisture in the wall would be about 9 1 mc. Zero moisture is unrealistic even wood used to frame a house contains some amount of moisture. In 2016 the society for protective coatings sspc expects to publish a new guidance document field methods for the determination of moisture in concrete and masonry walls and ceilings that will describe the types of instruments used for determining moisture content of walls prior to painting including recommended test frequencies.

From the 1940s to today many contractors have relied on surface based methods for monitoring or evaluating relative humidity levels and moisture content. This is a. This article will focus on the issue of moisture content. Astm f2170 in situ rh testing will give you the most reliable information to help you manage your flooring project successfully.

Moisture and moisture content.