One of the advantages of using a pin-type moisture meter with insulated contact pins is that they provide the best means for identifying the precise location of moisture in sub-floors or kiln-dried lumber. This is because the pins are only able to read moisture levels at their un-insulated pin tips. By driving the pins into the floor — and even through to the sub-floor — to different depths, moisture levels are read each specific penetration level.
A popular pin-type meter among flooring contractors, woodworkers, furniture manufacturers, Quality Control inspectors, and small lumber mills is the Delmhorst J Pin Type Moisture Meter. The durable digital handheld device manages to keep up with constantly changing job conditions.
With built-in wood species correction and temperature correction capabilities, the J is an extremely versatile tool for a great value. Some conditions, such as wood thickness, wood species and multiple layers are particularly difficult to penetrate with standard contact pins. Using a Slide Hammer Electrode like the one pictured below allows easy pin penetration in hardwood floors. Why Measure Moisture in Wood?
How Pin-Type Moisture Meters Work Pin-type moisture meters function by measuring the electrical resistance between two electrodes. Wetter soil will conduct electricity better. There are various types of moisture sensors, and finding the one that has a scale or chart where you can adjust measurements to a certain soil type would be a bullseye for you. Frankly, it does a good job. There are 3 main types of soil moisture sensor technology. Each operates a bit differently and is meant for a different purpose, and therefore, it costs accordingly.
The first type of soil moisture sensors we are going to mention is the volumetric sensor. It can directly measure the exact amount of water which is in the soil. There are several subtypes of this sensor:. The third one is the most common of them all. The dielectric sensor can be used to tell us what amount of dielectric constant is present in the soil. That is an electrical property, which is entirely dependent on the soil composition and of the moisture content present in the soil.
Volumetric soil moisture sensors are the most technologically advanced of all types, thus, they cost the most. Despite being very expensive, they are the most reliable choice if you need high efficiency and precision. They are capable to provide data in real time instantly, which is very important for people who grow a lot of crops.
The most common usage of these sensors is when it comes to measuring the soil quality for some highly valued plants. The only way for the soil to keep moisture is to keep the water in it. And that can be done either by friction or tension. Tensiometers are the specific type of soil moisture sensors used exactly for the purpose of measuring this tension, which exists between particles contained in the soil itself and molecules that come from water.
Plants need to access this water from the soil, and they can do that only by reaching out with their root and overcoming this soil tension in order for the water particles from soil to get to the root itself. Well, it is a vertical tube that contains water and has a porous end. The porous end is supposed to be put inside the ground at a certain depth. This means that they can be used as a very useful tool for any surveyor, who may be trying to gain an insight into the causes of dampness.
These meters can be a liability if used incorrectly, so it is essential that surveyors understand the limitations of them. That way they remain a positive tool, rather than a misleading one. This applies to residential surveyors and even specialist damp surveyors too. Bryan has made it a priority to help train users to make good decisions based on meter reading, rather than bad ones. The inverse of this is resistance. You could say that both apply — the better the conductivity of a material the less the resistance to electrical flow.
This is indicated on a meter with either an analogue gauge old ones , lights or numbers sometimes both. In wood and masonry the primary modifier of their original conductivity is moisture. Thus the higher the flow of electricity across the pins — the more water is present see exceptions in the video and below.
This brings us to the first of the important points about electronic moisture meters. In general they are all calibrated for an average softwood. If you are doing that, then the readings can be believed as quite accurate within a couple or three percent.
This is known as a quantitative reading. It will not be flashing like a beacon or beeping away. Be careful if the wood is stained in any way, or if there are signs of crystalline deposits — some preservative treatments will increase conductivity and throw the readings up a bit or a lot if the wood is damp too. That said, it is okay because you have found that the wood is very damp indeed. Something needs fixing quick, if rot and infestation is to be avoided.
Read on for more details on how to use a moisture meter or, call one of our qualified and helpful team on Leeds York or Sheffield or email us via our contact page.
It is dry the reading is qualitative. However, if you want to use a moisture meter as an aid to diagnosis of damp in masonry or plaster, remember that it is not calibrated for that material. It cannot be so because the wide variety of densities and materials is just too vast. Natural materials like stone can vary within a wall too.
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