DIY Chatroom - DIY Home Improvement Forum
    DIY Forum     DIY Blogs     Photos     Woodworking     Extreme How To     Advertise     Contact Us  
Carpentry | Construction | Electrical | Flooring | HVAC | Landscaping | Painting | Plumbing | Roofing


Go Back   DIY Chatroom - DIY Home Improvement Forum > Home Improvement > Flooring
Moisture meters and radiant concrete slab Moisture meters and radiant concrete slab
Register DIY Blogs FAQ Members List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


CLICK HERE AND JOIN OUR COMMUNITY TODAY...IT'S FREE!
Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 01-16-2009, 04:08 PM   #1
Newbie
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 4
Default

Moisture meters and radiant concrete slab

Can people in installation tell me what they know about moisture meters? I tested a concrete radiant floor we have with plastic taped down for a full 48 hours and there is not a speck of moisture. Yet the moisture meter reads full moisture. I do not want to install ANY floor until I can figure out what is going on. There was vinyl flooring down and replacing it. No moisture underneath - it is ripped up now.
What do you all think? Is the moisture meter reading the water in the radiant heat and wire mesh? Or is there really invisible moisture underneath.?

Last edited by snowydaysrock; 01-16-2009 at 04:32 PM.
snowydaysrock is offline   Reply With Quote
Join DIYChatroom.com

Join the #1 DIY Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

DIYChatroom.com - Are you about to start a new home improvement task and need some help? Do you need advise on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that DIY Chatroom is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally free.

Join DIYChatroom.com - Click Here
JOIN FOR FREE

Warning: The topics covered on this site include activities in which there exists the potential for serious injury or death. DIYChatroom.com DOES NOT guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information contained on this site. Always use proper safety precaution and reference reliable outside sources before attempting any home improvement task!
Old 01-16-2009, 04:24 PM   #2
Super Moderator
 
Floorwizard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Alaska!
Posts: 1,524
Default

Moisture meters and radiant concrete slab

You might want to do a calcium test as well. You can get them at a Home Depot or Lowes.
__________________
Time to ride again!
Floorwizard is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2009, 04:34 PM   #3
Newbie
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 4
Default

Moisture meters and radiant concrete slab

What is a calcium test? What does it mean?

Thanks
snowydaysrock is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2009, 06:42 PM   #4
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 104
Default

Moisture meters and radiant concrete slab

Calcium Chloride test is what it means.

Tell us more about the meter you used.

I'm assuming you didn't drill the slab due to the radiant heat. Did you use a cheapo potted plant soil tester or something?

Separately, if you pulled up vinyl and the concrete wasn't damp and the concrete didn't get dark when you taped down the plastic and the radiant heat is on, baking moisture out, it might have been the tester...

Concrete can look and feel dry, but the moisture can be evaporating off from some point below the surface.

Two good types of flooring where there is moisture are carpet and ceramic. Moisture can evaporate off through the carpet and a non-moisture-barrier type of pad (standard rebond). It can also evaporate off from the grout lines on tile.
Mudd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2009, 01:23 AM   #5
Newbie
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 4
Default

Moisture meters and radiant concrete slab

Funny - soil tester!

Borrowed from a guy. Brand? Real Tester? Yes

moisture level was full
no visible wetness
snowydaysrock is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2009, 01:36 PM   #6
gravity always wins
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Annville, PA
Posts: 1,361
Default

Moisture meters and radiant concrete slab

Be sure your tester is the proper one for measuring concrete, or that it is calibrated to the proper scale. What is dry for concrete would be damp for hardwood lumber and soaking wet for drywall. Residual moisture levels vary with the type of material. Concrete is an inherently "wet" material and usually has a high moisture level even when it is relatively dry. I've always used 3'x3' of 6 mil poly taped down for 72 hours as a guide. With radiant heat in the floor, moisture should be a non-issue.
Maintenance 6 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2009, 07:41 PM   #7
Newbie
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 4
Default

Moisture meters and radiant concrete slab

was able to get the meter brand and got a pic. from web. (tramex)
plastic taped for 1 week no moisture still
thanx guys
Attached Images
 
Last edited by snowydaysrock; 01-20-2009 at 07:44 PM. Reason: sp.
snowydaysrock is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2009, 07:33 AM   #8
gravity always wins
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Annville, PA
Posts: 1,361
Default

Moisture meters and radiant concrete slab

I use one of those. Good for drywall, wood or plaster. Never had any success on concrete. Ceramic tile can be a little sketchy. I think some tiles are colored using metal oxides that throw the meter off. It will pick up pipes and conduits concealed inside a wall, so you have to learn how to avoid false readings. I once watched a guy mark off a large section of wall as having wet areas.............all in long vertical streaks. He was reading pipe runs. There was definitely moisture..........inside the pipes.
Maintenance 6 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


« Previous Thread | Next Thread »
More On This Topic
How to Prevent Cracks in Concrete
How to Prevent Cracks in Concrete by eHow.com

If you are planning a concrete project, you will be dedicating your time and money to making it perfect. Whether you will be doing the job on you own or hiring a contractor, there are a few things you should think about before getting started. While it... Read More »

Bamboo, Cork, & Clay Tile for Natural Home Design
Bamboo, Cork, & Clay Tile for Natural Home Design by Expert Village

Okay now we’re going to talk a little bit about floorings. One flooring a lot us have in our homes that we don’t even know we have and we can utilize is a concrete slab. A concrete slab, you can strip your wall to wall carpeting and take the... Read More »

Painting the Floor in a Pet Portrait
Painting the Floor in a Pet Portrait by Expert Village

Next, let's take another one of our larger flat head brushes and let's put some red on here, raw sienna. Put that on there and some media. We're basically going to come up here and we're going to start to apply. It's going to be our carpet. We're going... Read More »

Testing for Power When Installing a Doorbell
Testing for Power When Installing a Doorbell by Expert Village

Hi! My name is Chad Smith and I'm a state certified Journeyman Wireman basically a electrician and I'm here with expertvillage.com and we are installing a new doorbell in this house. Now we have already been through the tool list make sure that we had... Read More »

How to Buy Concrete
How to Buy Concrete by eHow.com

When undertaking a home improvement project, you need to know how much concrete you will need and what kind is best for your project. Determining the right amount and kind of concrete you need will save you money and trouble in the long run. Read on to... Read More »

Pluck Legal and Privacy Powered by Pluck
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Linear Mode

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

Top of Page | View New Posts


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:49 AM.

Contact Us - DIY Forum - DIY Articles - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service - Top

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2010, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
© 2003 - 2009 The Building Network LLC

Our Network: Contractor Forum | Woodworking Forum | How To Tips | Painting Forum | Drywall Forum | Electrician Forum | HVAC Forum | Plumbing Forum | Roofing Forum
Partners: F150 Forum