Mike, In 27 years I can say with confidence that 95% of all issues in a home are water related, unless you live in the middle of a desert. Leaking through the roof, no gutters, clogged gutters, water that drains towards the foundation, basements that leak, water under the crawlspace, and kitchens and bathroom that have leaked. My moisture meter, thermal camera and flashlight are my three main tools.
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Just a quick question on the subject of Moisture Meters. I have the Dr Meter MD 918 for Wood, ($60) b/c it was highly rated… then got the Extech MO55 pin and pinless for Wood + Building materials, ($100) unfortunately In all my tests they are both very inconsistent.
Then I was told by my trainer that the best one to have is the Aquant Protimeter Non Contact. ($378)
Wow, this one is spot on in every test I have done with Wood and other building materials
So, it seems there are many cheaper options that really are unreliable but they say they use the same technology to spot moisture?
So, what is your recommendation for the most reliable MM ?
Do I need to get another Protimeter that has pins and takes different connections (probes) like the $624 Survey Master? I just want a tool that is the most reliable I can afford…
I have FLIR MR40, FLIR MR60 and the FLIR MR176. I like all of them but the IR camera on the mr176 is all but worthless. I have the baseboard and hammer probe too. They are pretty slick.
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Not sure it will tel me different
Hey @wbernauer I was thinking about getting one of these combination IR and moisture meter from Flir for the sole purpose of being able to do a quick scan of the walls and ceilings while doing my interior inspection and quickly picking up any possible leaks and confirming with moisture meter. From your experience with the mr176 is this something I might be able to do with that low of resolution on the IR? Or would I be better off just getting a better IR and a separate moisture meter like the MR60?
My recommendation would be to invest in the best IR camera you can afford and go with something like the MR60.
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So what is the moisture scale that we use when we see stains on concrete or wood or drywall or any where? What’s good or bad.
wood - 5% 10% 20% 30% ?
drywall - 5% 10% 20% 30% ?
I see a stain on drywall, get my meter, it reads 3% , the buyer is standing over my shoulder, well thats not good, I say its only three %, he says gypsum should have no moisture, bla bla bla
I do multiple checks in the area of not only the stained materials but also the non-stained materials. Normally if there’s an active leak it pegs the needle and I get an audible, I use a Tramex,
It also has the green - yellow - red color coded meter for easier clarification.
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I take two or three measurements a few feet away from the stain and this is my baseline. I compare this to measurements in the stain to verify an active leak.
Moisture readings on interior and exterior walls will vary. Often 10% moisture in an exterior wall is normal in my climate. If the stain measures at 20% in the same wall we have an issue.
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Thanks Martin
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