How Do Moisture Meters Work?

A moisture meter is an important device used in the construction field and industries to determine the level of moisture in a certain type of building material. There are many areas where the moisture level is checked. Gib, plywood, plasterboard, skirting, doors are some of the sensitive areas where the moisture level need to be monitored carefully. Ambale Co. is a company based in New Zealand providing its services in the field of air management throughout the country. Read more on Moisture Meters in New Zealand for various industries. 

The potential problems and damage in a structure can be identified with the help of moisture meters. Many homes and building inspectors use professional moisture meters to keep the damage by moisture to a minimum by identifying the moisture problem beforehand. The moisture is especially dangerous for structures made up of wood. Hence the most affected by moisture in the wood industry. The quality of products in the wood industry can only be ensured by monitoring the moisture content and taking necessary measures.

The indicator scales on the moisture meter are different in appearance according to the types and models but in the end, the primary function of the device is to show the moisture content. If we are to categorize the indicator scales then they basically can be divided into two types which are digital and analog. While analog indicators have been very popular in the past the digital meters are rapidly displacing analog meters. The substrate scales in the device and the precision of the meters differs per meter and also varies according to the brand.

The standard for the calibration of the moisture meters is taken from the wood which helps to gain a comparatively accurate reading in wood moisture content. The scale in the moisture meter ranges from 5% to 40% which means they are theoretically capable of measuring the moisture content from 5 percent to 40 percent although the range may be different in some cases. In the case of measuring materials made from other than wood a different relative scale ranging from 0 to 100 is used. The ‘0’ indicates absolutely moisture free that is bone dry and 100 indicates the material is saturated. The moisture meters are installed with visual LED indicators which also help to indicate the moisture level on the scale of dry, moderate, and saturated. Some indicators may even have another different scale to particularly measure the moisture content in gypsum. Such scale ranges from 0.2 percent to 50 percent. So people who are looking for a moisture meter for sheetrock it is better to look for a moisture meter that includes the gypsum reading scale. Read about Why Contractors use Moisture Meters? 

Some moisture meters also come with color indicators which help to determine whether the material being tested is dry or there is a potential problem regarding moisture.  The red color in the indicator indicates a high level of moisture, yellow indicates a moderate level and green indicates a dry in the moisture meter. This helps to gain visible signs if there is a problem related to moisture without going into too many details. This is helpful for the users looking for a quick reading to save valuable time. Read more about Building material moisture measuring device. 

Types of moisture meters

According to the way a moisture meter operates it can be divided into three common types.  The first is the pin-type moisture meter, the second is the pinless-type and the third is the all in one type moisture meter.  All three types of moisture meters have their own specific specialized purpose in determining the moisture content.

Pin-type moisture meter

The pin-type moisture meters have two pins attached to themselves for the measurement. These pins help to penetrate the surface of the test material to the required depth. The length of the pins can vary as per the requirement of the depth to be measured. These meters are based on the principle of resistance to measure the moisture content.  The lower the resistance of the current the lower the moisture content as moisture is helpful for the flow of current. The pin-type moisture meters are useful in measuring the moisture in wood but are also used for walls, ceiling tiles, painted surfaces, etc.

Pinless moisture meter

These types of moisture meters are based on the principle of electrical impedance. While the pin-type moisture meters can create destruction to the surface of the test material these type of moisture meter provides a non-destructive measurement. These moisture meters are commonly used for the measurement of moisture in concrete, wood, and gypsum. The scales in these types of moisture meters are similar to the pin-type moisture meter. The device uses a relative scale of 0-100 in concrete subfloors and flooring to measure the moisture content.

All-in-one moisture meter

The most versatile type of moisture meter is the all-in-one moisture meter. These types of moisture meters are the most useful moisture meter. These types of moisture meters use both methods of pin-type and pinless moisture meter to determine the moisture content and problem area of the test subject. Because of the diversity most of the flooring specialists, indoor air quality specialists, and general contractors prefer these types of moisture meters for their work.

Our products are supplied and available in all the major parts of the country which includes  Wellington, Napier, Auckland, Queenstown, Northland, and Christchurch as well as in Fiji. Contact Ambale Co. in New Zealand by sending an email to info@ambale.co.nz or just call +64220617007.