The water wasnt properly dried and organic growth was discovered by previous owner. An MC in this range, therefore, is considered sufficiently dry for exterior in-service wood. I purchased my newly built home that has to meet all the new energy efficient standards and will be 2 years old this coming month. The difference is the moisture meters measurement error. Im still not sure that whatever they do will produce a good, long-term result, but I need to know what they should be doing to the wood. Thanks for the question. Many of our customers are successfully using our hand held moisture meters on engineered flooring. A11 - Substrate Testing - Floor Covering Reference Manual What wood do you recommend that does not have a high oil/water content? However, a general rule of thumb is that the basement's humidity level is not over 30 - 50 percent. for a mere $4900. The new wood was brought in in bundles ~2 x 2 x 6 and left that way to acclimate for ~2 weeks. Pinless meters are non-penetrating and read the moisture content via a non-damaging electromagnetic sensor that scans the wood. We also ship to other European countries, for dryer country like Spain the EMC could be between 12 and 14. Summers are hot and dry while winters can be cool. In your blog I read that furniture for outdoor is dried to a MC between 9 and 14%. At this home, cool objects include the air conditioning ductwork, the ground and the overlying wood floor system, which is exposed to very cool temperatures due to air conditioning duct leakage. i cored out a small section of the bottom beam (3 inches wide) all the way down to the foundation. I have been testing the bottom stud/sill board of an exterior wall on a slab of an old house that exposed in order to put a floor in. The acceptable moisture levels in basement walls and floors will depend on many factors. i used my dremel with a shaping bit about 1/8 in to cut vertical slits or vents about an inch deep and a couple of inches tall into the bottom 24 and have kept a commercial floor blower on the wood several hours a day for more than a week yet, the number is not going down. Can I get a away with this? Most are reading are between 13-15%. hellow! They were installed over existing plywood subfloor. Here current humidity is 76%. Here is the one I would recommend: https://www.wagnermeters.com/shop/mmc220-extended-range-moisture-meter/, My potential house in North Carolina Fayetteville area was just checked for moisture content in the crawl space. Wagner Meters has a couple of resources to help you determine the moisture content more suited to your outdoor environment. The interior home conditions are, AC running at 68-70*F. Exterior wall condition 104*F as checked with an IR thermometer of East wall not in the sun. The chart below will clear things up. 2-1/4", the moisture content between the flooring planks and the subfloor should not exceed 2%. I believe you are asking for the percent moisture content (humidity) of South African woods. Moisture levels in your crawl space that go beyond 70% lead to mold growth and health concerns. Because of the different materials involved, they will react differently to high heat, thus giving you an un-even plywood surface. Writing all the way from Australia, Steven. The Las Vegas EMC of wood or lumber ranges from 4.0% to 8.5%. I removed an of the foam insulation. I may have missed this already but I have a few quick questions. PDF Residential Housing: Wood Moisture Content - Cisllc.org I have come across this and havent made the purchase from my friend because I am not sure about the warp or breaking it will come. Then placing his pin meter on the screws. Why and how can I say this? Failure to do this will result in warping, cracking, and other problems after the construction of the wood product. What % does it have to get down to before it would be usable to make a table top ? endstream endobj 80 0 obj <>stream Cracks in Concrete Slabs: Should I Be Concerned? summary Acceptable wood moisture readings on a meter normally range from 6% to 8% for woodworking. 0 WM=8DBaHh10tIKR/OH}X5Kpt'_]4Mfg9@w8~ n$R Do you agree with this? What Moisture Content is Safe for Your Building Materials - Delmhorst Any suggestions to this being possible to correct? In other words, the water weighs more than the wood fibers. . Poor Drainage: A Foundation Problem Waiting to Happen, A Trade Secret: Bucks Vinyl Siding Test, Foundation Repair Salesman: Licensed to Kill, Dear God, Martha, Our House is Breaking in Two!. I suspect the screws may be skewing the measurements. 18 years ago the moist content (MC) of the beams and joist was 24% in an area of the crawl space that floods in spring. how do I determine the mc standard for this material, is it the same as wood or has its own specifications, 2. Most floor joists are single or double, and most often made with 2x6s or 2x8s. Your help for resolving this issue would be highly appreciated . Fix & Replace Damaged Floor Joists - How to Sister a Joist Moisture content of 11.5% for the oak is a little high for furniture grade hardwoods. 12% 16% Readings in this range are common to lumber during construction, air dried lumber and healthy residential substructures (beneath first floor in crawl spaces). Hardwood flooring needs to acclimate at least 2 weeks, in service conditions, before it is installed. Add an answer. Floor Joist Calculator Uneven Floors, Sagging Floor Repair - Problem Signs and Solutions by JES Treatment levels for timber and timber-based materials used under tiles in wet areas where the waterproofing membrane cannot easily be inspected or maintained should be: H1.2 for timber floor joists and wall framing around showers; H3 (CCA treated) for plywood. Your ideal MC will also depend on the outdoor humidity levels. Your reading of 12.5% tells me it is workable. Moisture content in floor systems - Structural Inspections - InterNACHI 16% 20% Readings in this range indicate a possible elevated level of wood moisture. Freshly cut wood has a lot of moisture in it. . This means your crawl space humidity goes up by about 22 degrees. The levels were between 20 and 23%. I really need to know as I am getting so many different opinions Thanks. A study by Imamura and Kiguchi (1999) showed that wood moisture content in excess of 20% can cause a 5% loss of nail shank diameter in four years and a projected 25% loss in 30 years. These tools will give you the confidence that you have done everything on your part to ensure the highest quality in the piece you have built. I have a couple questions. SE, Huntsville, AL 35802. all concrete) is framed and sheetrocked (though not mudded or sealed in any way) is then the studs are tested for humidity, what would be a reasonable level here in Seattle, living approximately 100 yards Puget Sound? This is more likely to occur to occur in lower-grade boards, where knots and uneven grains are already present. 9.1.5 Floors - NHBC Standards 2023 NHBC Standards 2023 Wood is a hygroscopic material, meaning it picks up or loses moisture based on the ambient conditions. Such readings should alert the homeowner to look for a source of excess moisture. The normal moisture content of wood (or EMC) varies from 7%-19% depending on the RH in the air. I am based in The Netherlands. Every home's foundation repair needs are different based on soil type, type of foundation problem, and climate. The wood scale provides accurate, quantitative readings of moisture over the range of 5% to 30% MC in wood. Do NOT install the flooring planks until these moisture content levels are achieved. This pinless meter is accurate, Ive got 2 other pin moisture meters and all 3 of them read within only 1-3% difference as checked on wood structures. I was thinking 10% MC would be ok but after reading your article Im not sure. Why You Should Test for Moisture Before Installing Flooring or finally the product will be placed where. Stopping the moisture is much cheaper and easier than repairing the structure. When it hits the cooler air of the crawl space, it increases the relative humidity by about 2% per degree! Its still there and causing stains and scaring inexperienced home inspectors who frighten buyers, but its dormant. Congratulations on your new furniture. . Since wood is hygroscopic, it loses or gains moisture depending on the relative humidity of the surrounding air. Floor joists transfer loads to the vertical beams of the house. Wagner has a free app called WoodH2O to help you determine the proper moisture levels based on consistent humidity and temperature. Foundation Underpinning Repair: Unnecessary? Mold starts to grow in the mid to high 20 percent moisture contents. What Are Acceptable Moisture Levels in Wood? - Wagner Meters Like all wood materials, I-joists are susceptible to moisture. This can be a problem once installed in furniture or a floor. Mold and fungus in the crawl space can definitely become a problem, but dont be fooled into thinking that a Borate spray HAS to be applied in EVERY situation. Thank you. The failure in your case sounds as though the piece was exposed to a rapid loss of already low ambient moisture, causing the cracking in the piece. I would not recommend re-drying finished plywood. hello I been getting very sick in my home so I had my manger do a mold and moisture test which came back high level of moisture levels which a contractor wants to take the sub floor up and 2 to 4 inches of the wall but my apartment manger is not releasing to report and hes is saying the spore test didnt pick up any mold spore question is it safe for me and my family to be in the home with high level of moisture in the restroom which the floor have been really soft for over 9 months now as well as the kids bedroom where a pipe burst. For a wooden subfloor you will need to use a 2-pronged moisture meter. Condensation present on the . These home inspectors are insecure and inexperienced. As this moisture condenses on the floor system, it wets the wood. 17 and the flooring is at 6 to 7. Over a year ago, I re-shim all the piers with metal shims. Including some high-end species like Rosewood, ebony, Mahogany, White Cedar, Bija Sal, Walnut, Gmelina, etc. can be insulated and heated (insulation is mandatory if heated) require careful planning and . I would love to be able to give you the perfect answer but unfortunately, there isnt one. Studies have shown, however, that mold growth can occur on wood at moisture content levels above 15 to 18 percent, and corrosion of metal fasteners in treated wood can occur when moisture content exceeds 18 to 20 percent. It is best to obtain a wood moisture content that will match the environment. If possible, keep indoor humidity below 60 percent (ideally between 30 and 50 percent) relative humidity. Currently reading a 12.5%. board will move twice as much as a 4-in. Production, storage, delivery and construction and in-use conditions that will prevent exposure to external or internal moisture or conditions that would allow the moisture content to exceed 18% at any time: Untreated Douglas fir: Framing in a low-risk building and meeting the requirements of B2/AS1 paragraph 3.2.2.2: Where there is a risk of . However, the wood species and the thickness or size of the wood may also factor in. My question for you is, now that it is stained, can I still get an accurate MC? About how long do you think we should allow the new wood to acclimate in the end use environment before installing it? You can determine the correct percent moisture content by using our free app called WoodH2O. Using a moisture meter before painting can help you determine the moisture content of the wood. I suggested replacing my dehumidifier (Sears brand, bucket collection) which has been inoperable this past year. Wood Moisture Content is the weight of water in a piece of wood expressed as a percentage of oven dry weight of wood. Subsequently the woodgrain has reflected in the previously mirror-finish, only on the new panels and we suspect moisture content issues in the wood before it was varnished. Most of it will dissipate. The MC varies from 7% 13.5% around the exterior door on dry days and 10%-16% during rains. Is it possible to get a 99.9% moisture reading (using a Cassain GM-200 hydrometer) on a particle board floor which looks and feels completely dry? 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. On truss/joist spacing of 16" (406mm) o/c or less, the industry standard for single- panel subflooring is nominal 5/8" (19/32", 15.1 mm) CD Exposure 1 Plywood subfloor panels ( CD Exposure 1) or 23/32" OSB Exposure 1 subfloor panels, 4' x 8' sheets. Moisture In Basement - Plumbertip Where floor s have been covered by previous floor coverings acceptable values are up to 3.5% and 80% in-slab RH. The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) has a chart that indicates the moisture content of wood at any given combination of temperature and humidity. We havent gone any further since the condition was found so close to us purchasing the home. 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. Once wood is dried below about 28% WMC, water is not available to support decay, unless the wood is exposed to liquid water. Hello, I am renovating my kitchen and installing hardwood floors. You should be able to tell where the water reached the subfloor because it will be discolored and may also be swelled up. The house was not in the flood area however they did receive 20 inches of rain. What is the acceptable moisture level for plywood? primer, the moisture vapor transmissions rate (MVtr) from the substrate should not be in excess of 5 lbs. After you remove the old flooring, you'll need to ensure the subfloor is properly prepared before laying the new vinyl, hardwood or laminate flooring. I took readings of the moisture of the sub floor at the edges of the wall and it ranged from 5 to 16, problem is i cant take it in the middle of the floor unless i rip the floor out. That is still quite a wide range. Mold growth can be limited if the MC of wood can be kept below 20%. : Mold & Fungus In the Crawlspace. What is a 'normal' moisture level for a shower? - Houzz water leaked over the edge. What can we do to get the row products closer in moisture content, we are currently using fans, We are in northern lower Michigan I am the general contractor for the house, and want to avoid any problems, would love to talk to you on the phone, my number is 9894647248, Mark Skiba, This is a great site about moisture content. Many timber-framed floor problems can be traced to moisture levels, excessive loads or borer. endstream endobj 81 0 obj <>stream We found out that RH at the final location was under 20%. Your table may have been a little too high in moisture, hence the crack as it dried slightly in the drier environment.