There are areas where organic growth was very active to cause deep, black discolorization. I will get further testing from those not involved. We just bought a home where we discovered the plumbing was leaking over a number years with a kitchen flood occurring in the last years due to a busted water line. Instead of addressing the plumbing and damaged wood, they installed a dehumidifier in The home inspector failed to report all the sewage stains on the plastic and organic growth on some of the joists have which had been exposed to moisture the whole time even though the dehumidifier has been mitigating the plumbing leaks.
A company sealed off the foundation vents and removed all the insulation from the crawlspace with the humidifier mitigating the moisture from the leaks. Since the cold weather has come on, the organic growth has gone dormant, but a contractor noticed joists with distinctive moisture content where there are definitive separations between dry and wet looking wood.
However, the company who maintains the dehumidifier said he tested some of the joist which he said only registered 10 on his device. One of his own service guys said foundation caps needed to be replaced. Wonder if they are trying to cover themselves. Live in Tn. The plumbing was improperly installed with the wrong cement to fit the pipes and could have been leaking from anywhere between years while absorbing into the ground.
Any opinions. If the water leak was bad enough, dry rot can occur causing possible structural integrity issues. Did the Contractor mention anything about the structural strength of the joists? One of our new line of moisture meters will help locate areas of high moisture, if it still exists. Here is a link to our new line of meters:.
The typical moisture content for hardwoods that will be indoors is percent. Either one should be acceptable for finishes. Mobeen, If a wooden sample gains moisture, then the sample will increase in size. This can be a problem once installed in furniture or a floor. It is best to allow the wood to equilibrate to the room environment. Should you check moisture levels on a trailor floor on a massive rainy day? Will the reading be accurate?
Other than causing structural damage, too much water can result in mold growth. Hello, I am renovating my kitchen and installing hardwood floors. The floor installer put the floors down without allowing the boards to acclimate.
When questioned, he said because Room is under sq feet it is not a problem. Is this accurate? The purpose of acclimating is to allow the flooring to equalize to the surrounding conditions, no matter how large the room is. Be on the lookout for flooring failures such as swelling, buckling, cupping, etc. I had a water leak under my crawl space which has 3 inches of foam insulation applied to the underside of the sub floor.
The water eventually came out a electric outlet located three inches off the floor. I removed an of the foam insulation.
Should I remove more foam to be sure. The engineered wood floor appears ok. I live in coastal South Carolina. Any suggestions. Is your electrical outlet that is 3 inches above the floor inside the house? Water was coming out of this outlet and onto the floor? If that is the case you need to remove the flooring and examine the subfloor.
You should be able to tell where the water reached the subfloor because it will be discolored and may also be swelled up. My house is 24 years old. I installed a sump pump and 6 mil vapor barrier, but the barrier is not sealed around piers and the ground is moist under the barrier all year.
I also applied Boracare boron that has stopped minor beetle damage. Three years ago, the floor sank in a heavy traffic area and an engineer told me Masonite was used to shim and had compressed.
Over a year ago, I re-shim all the piers with metal shims. The floor immediately felt stronger. Prior to the re-shim, the pier in the area that floods in the spring could be felt pushing up the floor, meaning the beam is warping and been monitoring it.
This week, I notice the next pier on the same beam is starting to push up, warping the floor. Knowing were all the piers are, I can stand on top and feel a small hump in the floors. I not sure if this is normal, related to the re-shim or need to install a crawl space dehumidifier to slow the progression? Thank You.
A dehumidifier in the crawlspace will help but can be expensive. The purpose of the vapor barrier is to keep moisture away from materials that expand and contract. Perhaps try to seal the vapor barrier better around the piers. The other thing to consider is examining how water is entering your crawl space. Perhaps better drainage around your house will do the trick… or treat. Sorry, that time of year. I am having a section of our 3. About how long do you think we should allow the new wood to acclimate in the end use environment before installing it?
Typically, allow about 3 weeks for hardwood to acclimate in the environment. Two weeks is sufficient for softwood. It is also a good idea to use a moisture meter after the three weeks just to make sure. Here is the one I would recommend:. My potential house in North Carolina Fayetteville area was just checked for moisture content in the crawl space. The house was not in the flood area however they did receive 20 inches of rain.
Do these levels seen appropriate considering the recent rainfall. As long as the moisture content does not exceed those readings you should be ok. Mold starts to grow in the mid to high 20 percent moisture contents. Larry: I recently had my annual termite inspection.
He added that plastic sheet ground covering that his company laid over my crawl space had been moved in spots and that I no longer had full coverage. I live in upstate South Carolina. We have had an abnormally wet spring and part of summer. I suggested replacing my dehumidifier Sears brand, bucket collection which has been inoperable this past year. He, of course, said that type of product is insufficient. My house was built in I get some water seepage through an exterior wall at basement floor level as a result of heavy rain.
It is a feet wide wet area that drains to a line connected to the city system. Generally the entire floor is dry. The air vents stay closed year round. What do you recommend? Jerry, From a moisture standpoint, water in the basement can over time absorb into your subfloor. I would think at least fixing your dehumidifier is a must. You should be ok as long as the moisture content does not get worse higher. Keep monitoring it. We are manufacturer of eng wood flooring.
My first question is how to determine the MC of eng wood flooring which composite of different species layer, face and different species to form plywood core. Example: 1.
In this case, what Built in that I can use to measure flooring. Many of our customers are successfully using our hand held moisture meters on engineered flooring. Set the meter to the species that makes up the bulk, in this case, the plywood. The plywood setting is. Lacquer will not make a reading difference as long as there are no metallic components in the lacquer itself. I so appreciate your treatise on this issue.
My question for you is: after a smallish unheated underground space similar to a basement, i. This building was constructed around and this little space appears very dry, in spite of a recent leak from an nearby hot water tank.
Sorry that this is so long-winded and I thank you in advance if you are willing to address this question for me. Thank you,. Any moisture content measured higher than that might result in movement, such as warping and twisting, once it dries. Also, there is a risk of mold. Your email address will not be published. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
My Account 0 items Kiln Drying Freshly cut wood has a lot of moisture in it. What are Acceptable Moisture Levels in Wood? The average RH of the environment where the wood will be used. Larry Loffer. Amand says:. December 30, at am. Larry Loffer says:. January 3, at pm. Shamir mohammed says:. November 4, at pm. Jason Spangler says:.
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Kim says:. January 10, at am. Excess moisture in the concrete will cause problems such as condensation or failure of the adhesive under the flooring.
Moisture conditions in concrete slabs that ultimately create moisture problems in flooring may not the flooring contractor's responsibility, but it is the flooring contractor's responsibility to ensure that potential moisture problems are resolved before installation begins.
Unless the flooring contractor takes the initiative to determine the potential problems, through testing for moisture content, he is the one who will get called by the unhappy homeowner-because the buckling wood is the only result the homeowner sees.
A flooring contractor can begin his determination with some subjective and logical questions: What is the history of other homes in the area, as well as the history of the building, the quality of the building and the quality of the slab? Also, what is the age of the concrete? An installer should not accept a slab as "ready" on age alone.
What is the concrete's visual appearance? Color of concrete surfaces: The "proper" color of concrete should be a light yellowish-grey similar to limestone not sugar white. In fact, a sugar-white surface usually means the concrete was improperly cured and can create a severe moisture problem later on usually months later. Any concrete that is blotchy, with dark spots and martyred some whitish freckling within the darkened areas should be suspected of having contaminants, admixtures or other problems unsuitable for flooring.
Flooring contractors should make sure to rely on flooring manufacturers' recommendations for your definition of what qualifies as "acceptable moisture content," as well as for which type of moisture testing each manufacturer prefers and care should be taken to insure there is no confusion on the units of measurement. Testing for moisture in concrete can be accomplished using specially designed and calibrated moisture meters, and there are also several types of physical tests that can be used.
The most common types of tests are discussed later on. Electrical Moisture Meter testing of concrete Some meters are designed and calibrated specifically for concrete use. Regular checking of moisture content of the concrete slab during the drying out period is required to ensure it has reached sufficient dryness to accept the floor covering.
Electrical testing works on the principle of impedance measurement in the concrete slab which is translated to a percent moisture content reading. When testing concrete slabs, particularly if they are on-grade or below-grade, the moisture condition should be tested not only on the surface, but also in the body of the slab some moisture meters do this in a non-destructively.
The reason for testing both the surface and the mid-section is to ascertain if there is continuous moisture movement toward the surface. If the flooring is installed while the slab is in this condition, upward movement of moisture will continue and the moisture will move into the floor. It is important the insure the moisture meter has the capability to measure into the slab, not just the surface. The results are costly and damaging.
As always, tests in multiple locations throughout the slab. Moisture meters that give meaningful readings and that unit of measurement can be related to manufacturers recommendation, should only be used.
All tests should be done at several different locations in a room--typically along exterior walls and walls with plumbing enclosures, as well as over mechanical chases. The calcium chloride test has been used most often by sheet vinyl installers, but a growing number of wood flooring installers now employ the test as well.
As always, refer to flooring manufacturer recommendations, since some believe other tests are more accurate. The calcium chloride test works by measuring changes in weight of anhydrous calcium chloride crystals. A small plastic dish of crystals is sealed with a plastic tape. The entire dish is weighed on a gram scale prior to exposure and the weight, date and time the test was started must be recorded.
The lid is then opened, and the dish of crystals is carefully set down on the concrete for 60 to 72 hours. The dish is enclosed within a 7-byinch cover, which is sealed to the concrete. How do you know what it is? Before we get to that, some fundamental wood facts are important.
The first thing we must understand is wood is, even when cut and dried, a reactive material—it is hygroscopic. It will take on moisture or lose moisture regardless of use, whether it is a solid or engineered wood floor, cabinetry, millwork, etc. Whether you are a violin maker, a wood flooring professional or a restoration professional, it's vitally important to the success of the project you are working on. If you decide to shoot from the hip instead, and the job is big enough, you could put your entire company's existence at risk believe me, unfortunately, I've inspected plenty of those jobs.
To get your baseline MC, first you must figure out what the environmental conditions will be year-round where the product is installed this helps you predict how much moisture your wood floor will gain and lose.
When the wood stops gaining or losing moisture, we say the wood has reached its equilibrium moisture content EMC. Wood is hygroscopic and vulnerable to moisture, leading the boards to peel away from the subfloor and can cause discoloring on the hardwood floor.
Hardwood flooring is unique on its own, but it requires maintenance. Without proper preparation and care before installation, it will become distorted in ways that could adversely affect its long-term beauty. Hardwood flooring is durable and practical, especially for interior applications.
Aside from residential houses, businesses often choose this type of flooring in their office for a more sophisticated and elegant atmosphere. Swelling and cupping is the effect of too much water, while too little humidity can cause these flooring to crack and wither.
The question now is, what would be the safest level of moisture in hardwood floors? Your living environment can affect the performance of your floor. During the warm summer months, humidity levels are very high. In contrast, cold winter months with the heating on reduce humidity, causing the flooring to shrink.
A humidifier or a steam humidification system for larger homes can help in controlling low humidity. I recommend that homeowners with hardwood flooring purchase an inexpensive moisture meter. I have owned this moisture meter for well over a year and use it daily. Woods are hygroscopic, which means that it absorbs moisture from the environment it is in. This material is why proper acclimation is a necessary step to the installation process of hardwood floors, and it begins with proper storage on the job site.
To achieve proper acclimation, cross-stacking and encouraging air circulation on the wood floors is the best way to do it. Failing the process of acclimation will show signs of hardwood floor distortion, and it can be disappointing.
So, it is best not to rush the installation process and spend time going through the vital steps instead of dealing with negative consequences later. Another cause of moisture under your hardwood floors is poor installation. These mistakes can cause the floor to have cracks and buckles.
Having wet subfloors when the floorboards are installed is another installation mistake that allowed the floor to absorb too much moisture. Concrete subfloors should have a vapor barrier installed underneath. Spotting moisture problems early on will help to minimize the damage they can cause. So what are these early warning signs that tell you there are moisture problems in your wood floors? High relative humidity RH causes condensation on surfaces.
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