When Charity Adeoti first became a flooring installer, she said she didn’t realize how crucial moisture testing was until she experienced it firsthand.
“We did a real-life application of fixing some tiles in a school hallway,” Adeoti recalled. “When we pulled the tiles up, we discovered the reason for the installation failure was because of the moisture and acidity levels coming up through the substrate. We learned moisture levels are very vital to an installation, especially because the flooring may look good when initially installed.”
As Adeoti quickly learned, for an installation to be successful, it’s necessary to test and control moisture levels in both the subfloor and the flooring itself. As installers know all too well, a subfloor that’s too wet can cause the flooring to swell, warp, buckle or even develop mold. What’s more, if the flooring is too wet or dry compared to the subfloor, it too can create problems.
“There is a common misconception in the flooring industry that if there wasn’t a problem on the original installation, there won’t be one on the next installation,” said Sonny Callaham, technical director, Divergent Adhesives. “The fact of the matter is each flooring type will allow a different amount of moisture to pass through the slab and into the air.”
Moisture testing concrete
Before a concrete slab is covered with floorboards, adhesives or coatings, it needs to meet the dry requirements recommended by the manufacturer. If these conditions are not met, the chance of failure increases. “I don’t believe there’s enough emphasis on the importance of moisture testing in concrete,” said John Steier, installer and flooring owner in Iowa. “I can only speak from my area, but it’s very rare when I meet anybody that is testing moisture in the concrete. Most work I perform is residential. Removing carpet to install vinyl plank or other hard surface over concrete has been the new norm over the last couple years. In the past, I just ignored the recommendation for moisture testing in concrete. But after [eating] a couple jobs due to failure from moisture, it has become standard procedure that all concrete is tested.”
Steier uses calcium chloride testing and in-situ testing in his jobs. As he explained, “Taylor Adhesives’ calcium chloride test and Wagner Meters’ Rapid RH are my go-to. These two tests are easy to use, and I believe most installers are going to be able to afford to get into moisture testing with both products.”
Jason Spangler, sales manager for Wagner Meters, said relative humidity testing—in concrete—allows installers “to better understand what the conditions on the surface of the concrete will be like once a flooring product is installed. Obviously, this allows for decisions to be made regarding the longevity of the flooring system being installed.”
In recent years, the flooring industry has seen a spike in testing equipment. Today’s advances in moisture testing include specialized tools, moisture meters and thermal imaging. “Probably the single biggest development is the launch of our True Remote Monitoring option,” Spangler said. “This option allows a customer to utilize our standard Rapid RH L6 concrete moisture testing system and—with the addition of some reusable hardware—monitor the concrete drying and interior building conditions remotely. So, whether via a phone, tablet or desktop—if the user can connect to the cloud—they can monitor these conditions live from anywhere in the world. This not only saves time, but it allows for a more streamlined, efficient process in scheduling labor and product purchases for the job.”
The True Remote Monitoring option for Rapid RH L6 joins a growing list of moisture-testing devices on the market. Some other examples include:
Dual-Depth Pinless Moisture Meters: These meters allow for non-destructive testing of installed flooring by measuring moisture at different depths, including shallow depths just under the floor covering. For example, the Tramex ME5 detects and evaluates moisture conditions within various building materials by non-destructively measuring the electrical impedance. The Tramex MEX5, meanwhile, is a digital Dual-Depth, non-destructive moisture and humidity meter suitable for surveying moisture and humidity conditions in building structures.
Thermal imaging: Specialized thermal imaging cameras detect moisture buildup inside walls by using temperature differences, helping to prevent mold and find leaks.
Moisture determination balances: These systems can be used to determine moisture content manually or automatically in materials by measuring weight loss during heating.
Thermometer and hygrometer: These are two very inexpensive tools that installers should have with them on a jobsite. Documenting these conditions on the job ticket and providing these readings to the building owner and/or general contractor will protect the flooring contractor if there is a failure in the future.
Delmhorst is rolling out new moisture meters, including models for wood and thermal hygrometers that measure relative humidity and temperature. These products emphasize Bluetooth connectivity, allowing users to effortlessly take, save, share and reference readings. These advancements are designed to enhance both functionality and ease of use for end-users.
Data loggers: These meters are left at the jobsite and provide real-time data regarding the temperature and humidity. Most also allow for the contractor to download the information to an app.
“Data loggers are important because fluctuations in the temperature and humidity can be a recipe for disaster,” Divergent’s Callaham said. “Having a better understanding of the jobsite environment has prevented many moisture-related failures.”
Lignomat’s data logger, the BL2, can be set to sound an alarm when conditions get out of range, according to Grete Heimerdinger, vice president. “We have added a humidity data logger to the product line, and we also offer a data logger to monitor the actual wood moisture content in flooring products and the relative humidity of the surrounding air.”
Heimerdinger said measurements from a moisture meter and a thermo-hygrometer should be included in the installers’ final report. “An installer report should include several measurements from random locations and from moisture-sensitive areas such as below windows and entrance ways close to refrigerators or sinks. The name of the moisture meter, pin or pinless measurement, measuring depth, measured value, thermo-hygrometer and temperature readings are all important.”
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