moisture meter

[TARAN]

Hi there every one, I will be purchasing a mositure meter. I was wondering if there was big differance between the pin and pinless and could any body recommand a site and a model. Thank you.......

[Brad Manor]

I have a Protimeter Surveymaster. It is both "pin" and "pinless." In my opinion it is an excellent tool. If I had to buy one tomorrow it would be another Surveymaster.

-Brad

[Bill Kibbel]

There's probably more than half a dozen threads that started with a very similar question. If you tabulate the replies, I'd bet the majority recommend the Protimeter Surveymaster.

Here's just two of the threads:

https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum ... ture+meter

https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum ... ture+meter

[hausdok]

Hi,

I have the Protimeter SM too. I've had it since 1999 and it's still going strong despite my dropping and breaking it a number of times.

Tip: Anyone that owns a Protimeter PM - if you drop it on concrete or tile enough times it's going to go kaputt. When that happens, it's probably because repeated shock (which cracked my case when dropped from about 15 ft. onto concrete) has broken the little transformer loose from the circuit board and the wire connecting it, which is thin as a human hair, has snapped. If you call the factory, they'll tell you that it's probably the transformer and tell you to send it back and that they'll repair it for $125. I heard that, took mine down to the local TV repair shop and for $10 the guy fixed it in ten minutes by using some Wacky Taffy (or whatever that rolled-together epoxy you see Billy Mays do on TV is) to anchor the tranformer and soldered in a tiny section of wire where the break was. I've been back there about 2-3 more times for re-repairs. Total cost of repairs over 10 years about $50. If I'd sent it to Protimeter 3-4 times I'd be in the $600 range by now.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Chris Bernhardt]

Hi there every one, I will be purchasing a mositure meter. I was wondering if there was big differance between the pin and pinless and could any body recommand a site and a model. Thank you.......

What meter/s that you need will depend on what you're trying to determine.

Most inspectors it sounds like use the surveymaster. I happen to use the two separated versions the Aquant & the Protimeter mini, which are cheaper to purchase separatedly used on Ebay then a surveymaster.

I use the Aquant (pin-less) primarily and depending on the circumstances will back up findings with a protimeter mini (pin) and sometimes a Tramex moisture encounter plus (another pin-less), which reads deeper.

I would count my IR cam in with all this also. For my own edification I am always comparing what IR sees to what my moisture meters are saying and vice a versa.

You also need to understand the form and locations that moisture might be present in the assembly that you're scanning or probing before you jump the gun and declare that there is some big problem. To avoid that I have found it beneficial to use several meters with differing performance envelopes.

Chris, Oregon

[kurt]

So Chris, you've been comparing IR, pinless, and pin meters for a while now.

Got any revelations? Trends? Coincidences? Goofy stuff?

Enquiring minds want to know.

[Jim Katen]

Hi there every one, I will be purchasing a mositure meter. I was wondering if there was big differance between the pin and pinless and could any body recommand a site and a model. Thank you.......

I'm a rebel -- no protimeter. I use a Wagner L606 pinless meter and a Delmhorst J-4 pin meter. I've had the Delmhorst since about 1993 and the Wagner since 1997. They both work great but they each serve different purposes.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Tom Raymond]

Uhm, why do you need a moisture meter? On yesterdays inspection I found a stain that looked like an old leak. I put my palm on it and it felt damp, so I shot it with my IR thermometer. The surface temps varied 4.5 degrees F within the stain and just over 7 degrees from the coldest spot within the stain and the unstained wall a few inhes away. When I went in the attic the lowest visible plank of the skip sheathing was wet within a few feet of the stain.

Problem spotted, identified, and verified in less time than it took me to get thru the stupid tiny attic hatch, and I didn't need a meter. Economical in terms of time, cash for tools, and less crap to cart around the house. For added effect I used the laser pointer so everyone could see what I was shooting, you should have heard the oohs and aahs!

The RE volunteered to cary my tool bag down stairs while I toted my ladder, he grunted when he picked it up, I carry too much stuff as it is.

Tom

[Chris Bernhardt]

So Chris, you've been comparing IR, pinless, and pin meters for a while now.

Got any revelations? Trends? Coincidences? Goofy stuff?

Enquiring minds want to know.

I have used the IR cam for a year and it has met the expectations that I had for it: Increased biz just because I have one, found a few things that I wouldn't have then found, learned more about how houses work.

It's very rare that the IR cam or the moisture meters find something that I couldn't otherwise find with my eyes. But when I do find something moisture related I have been keeping track of what the IR cam and the various moisture meters and hygrometer indicate.

I have been surprised to find that the vapor pressure in some flooded crawlspaces was no more than the vapor pressure outside.

The vapor pressure inside homes vacant or occupied is pretty much always higher than the exterior.

I can be very difinitive in determining whether a black attic is old or on going problem.

The tools are not so much for finding problems but rather to confirm whether an already known/discovered condition is a problem or not. Plus I'm learning gobs about how homes react to moisture loads.

Chris, Oregon

[kurt]

I have used the IR cam for a year and it has met the expectations that I had for it: Increased biz just because I have one, found a few things that I wouldn't have then found, learned more about how houses work.

It's very rare that the IR cam or the moisture meters find something that I couldn't otherwise find with my eyes. But when I do find something moisture related I have been keeping track of what the IR cam and the various moisture meters and hygrometer indicate.

I have been surprised to find that the vapor pressure in some flooded crawlspaces was no more than the vapor pressure outside.

The vapor pressure inside homes vacant or occupied is pretty much always higher than the exterior.

I can be very difinitive in determining whether a black attic is old or on going problem.

The tools are not so much for finding problems but rather to confirm whether an already known/discovered condition is a problem or not. Plus I'm learning gobs about how homes react to moisture loads.

Chris, Oregon

Interesting. That's kind of what I was wondering; the general takes on the various moisture conditions and how houses handle them. Things like the vapor pressure in the crawl = VP outside; who woulda thunk it?

As goofy as it sounds, after using all your tools, it seems one would start to tie together all sorts of loose ends and be able to "know" what's going on in an intuitive sense, in addition to the measured conditions.

Tom, I'm kinda surprised that anyone would forego a moisture meter. I use it almost as much as my flashlight.

Still sitting on the fence w/the IR though.

[SonOfSwamp]

Uhm, why do you need a moisture meter? On yesterdays inspection I found a stain that looked like an old leak. I put my palm on it and it felt damp, so I shot it with my IR thermometer. The surface temps varied 4.5 degrees F within the stain and just over 7 degrees from the coldest spot within the stain and the unstained wall a few inhes away. When I went in the attic the lowest visible plank of the skip sheathing was wet within a few feet of the stain.

Problem spotted, identified, and verified in less time than it took me to get thru the stupid tiny attic hatch, and I didn't need a meter. Economical in terms of time, cash for tools, and less crap to cart around the house. For added effect I used the laser pointer so everyone could see what I was shooting, you should have heard the oohs and aahs!

The RE volunteered to cary my tool bag down stairs while I toted my ladder, he grunted when he picked it up, I carry too much stuff as it is.

Tom

I did the things you describe (except the IR thermometer shoot), but I took the Tramex specifically for the oohs and aahs. Customers could watch its needle move, hear its little cricket noises, see when the meter reached the edge of the wet spot and found the dry spot; and, they could watch the blinkylights.

Also, the dog & pony show obviated the need to fight my way through an attic loaded with hazards (not unusual in the old houses I inspected). "Get a roofer to find the leak above that wet spot and get it fixed," I'd say (and write). And my leak hunt (in that spot, anyway) would be done.

WJ

[Bill Kibbel]

More often then not,the moisture meter is used to illustrate to others what you already know.

[robert1966]

I have used two or three brands, the better ones are listed in the threads below. I have however found that the pinless detectors typically cost more, but have more applications. The pins are more invasive and some types that is not applicable.

Robert,

www.atexinspects.com

Hi there every one, I will be purchasing a mositure meter. I was wondering if there was big differance between the pin and pinless and could any body recommand a site and a model. Thank you.......