I found your moisture levels column through a search for good wood for low humidity. Question: Just to make sure that you get accurate moisture measurements, has your moisture meter been checked for calibration? As the airs RH increases, so does the moisture content of any wood exposed to the air. It is also a good idea to use a moisture meter after the three weeks just to make sure. I would think at least fixing your dehumidifier is a must. Im trying to find specs on treated lumber for NC. Many thanks for your advice, really appreciate it! Many of our customers are successfully using our hand held moisture meters on engineered flooring. This only occurs when wood changes moisture content below the fibre saturation point. We found out that RH at the final location was under 20%. If that is the case you need to remove the flooring and examine the subfloor. Thats why I think the wood is either not dried to 14%, or it has picked up too much humidity after drying. Waterproof membrane . We found the problem and the leak was resolve quickly! When it hits the cooler air of the crawl space, it increases the relative humidity by about 2% per degree! Wood is a hygroscopic material that contains water, even after it is cut from a tree. Because pinless meters scan the woods surface and cover a larger area than pin-type meters, they provide a more thorough picture of the woods moisture content. Hi Moisture Experts, My house is 25 years old located in Oregon City OR (near Portland). When wood is subjected to an environment that is higher in humidity, it will swell or expand. Any opinions. The excess moisture source should be corrected if found. A 10% moisture content reading means that 10% of a wood samples weight is due to water in the wood. Do these levels seen appropriate considering the recent rainfall. Not only did the aggressive notching doom this joist, it affected the structural integrity of the floor system above. Structural Repairs Dont Have to Be a Nightmare! But when you touch the pins to the embedded screws, you get between 14 and 24 % in various areas of the board. Please provide us with regular updates. Stopping the moisture is much cheaper and easier than repairing the structure. We have had very bad cracking in sheetrock and floors. Where are you located? Last reviewed: 12 Sep 2021 Last published: 12 Sep 2021. It does the same for wood, and is especially hard on softwoods, such as pine or fir. So, is it really this wet or is our meter over-reading? When it comes to the moisture content of plywood or dimensional lumber, an MC of 17% to 19% reduces the overall strength of plywood, and an MC of 20% or more reduces the strength of dimensional lumber (i.e., lumber cut to certain predefined sizes, such as 2x4s). It is not fair to ask the seller of this home to pay some pest control firm to spray Borate on the floor system. Does it have another common name? or finally the product will be placed where. Condensation on the inside of a windowpane. Great article, thanks for the info. The difference between the wood subfloor and the hardwood flooring shouldn't exceed 4% for solid strip hardwood . I dialed the 800 number for Wagner meters and all I got was two sales pitches for a Life alert type device. Below 12% Readings in this range are common to kiln or oven dried woods and furniture grades of wood, and represent dry conditions. within two percentage points of the EMC where the wood is going to be used. hL We also have an Orion 950 moisture meter that will automatically give you EMC (Equilibrium Moisture Content) and other useful statistics. A moisture content reading of 25% is borderline to support mold. Subfloor material such as plywood or OSB should measure between 10 and 14% moisture content. Box 1437 I have 1 1/2 thick cherry boards that I had milled from a tree in my yard last fall. can be insulated and heated (insulation is mandatory if heated) require careful planning and . If the conditions are too wet, dehumidify, and if they are too dry, humidify. The thinner veneers wont have much bearing on the reading. Great info! As far as the oil finish, the manufacturer of the oil will specify the correct moisture content for an application. Avoid unnecessary moisture exposure of all wood components by enclosing the frame against adverse weather as soon as feasible. Actually floors account for 15% of building heat loss depending on construction. Thanks in advance for your input! One of the beauties of spar is that it allows the wood to move quite a bit, while still retaining good adhesion. I know the rule of thumb is 1 year of dry time per inch of thickness of wood. The home inspectors working for fees today seem to have one primary motive in mind: to cover their liabilities. This means that wood intended for interior use in this location should not only be dried to around 6% but should be kept at this moisture content both before and during the manufacturing process. i dont understand how the bottom beam looks like swiss cheese from all the holes ive drilled and has had a commercial blower on it for days yet the number is still high despite there being no visible water to keep the wood wet. I buy many Artificial Trees for our Stores, which has Wood Stems/Barks, mainly produced in China & Shipped to UAE. Percent moisture content in wood is the ratio of the weight of water compared to the overall weight of a piece of wood. I really appreciate your treatise on this matter. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Freshly cut wood has a lot of moisture in it. Understanding the effects moisture has on timber, as well as acceptable moisture levels in wood flooring, will keep your timber floor looking pristine throughout its lifetime. As with any wood product, the environment where the finished product will Live will determine the correct moisture content. I suggested replacing my dehumidifier (Sears brand, bucket collection) which has been inoperable this past year. Since Im drying them outside, being in AK I would like to work with them if possible before the long moist winter. Longer pins with insulated shafts are designed for the purpose. Down pour of rain onto underlayment of attached garage. All Rights Reserved. Keep air conditioning drip pans clean and the drain lines unobstructed and flowing properly. Most types of wood species will mold above 25% moisture content, including pine. During the summer months in the northeast region, wood subfloors and floor joists often measure 19. I am having a section of our 3.25 Maple hardwood floor replaced. There are joists that display splitting. My question: what is the complete saturation reading of wood? Whats an acceptable moisture level for a brick wall in a house? I cant speak for the home inspector who has raised concerns, or what his experience level is, but I can assure you that the floor joists beneath this home are no different than 90% of the floor joists I have inspected over the past three decades. I was able to get the MC down to 15%. Pinless meters also dont leave damaging pinholes on the woods surface. 800-347-7260 Fax. Below a 17% MC of wood, virtually no microbial growth will occur on even the most susceptible materials. You must be careful with a thick slab once you cut it. Signs Of Moisture In Basement. Hello Enjoyed the article. These include warping, cracking, buckling, diminished wood strength, corrosion of fasteners, and even fungal growth. To do so: Make two vertical cuts through the joist a safe distance away from each end of the rotten section. You wrote that 15% humidity may induce mold? Writing all the way from Australia, Steven. About how long do you think we should allow the new wood to acclimate in the end use environment before installing it? Yes, the wood can still be read for MC with a stain on it. Also, the glue manufacturer should ideally give you some specifications for max and min moisture content. With the WoodH2O-app I could deduct the EMC for The Netherlands would be between 15 and 16. In their warehouse, and perhaps partly also in the container. If any of these conditions occur, tell your installer right away. For solid strip flooring (less than 3 wide) there should be no more than a 4% difference in moisture content between properly acclimated wood flooring and subflooring materials. The excess moisture source must be immediately corrected, and the situation carefully monitored until the WMC returns to the 12-16 range. 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. Headers, columns, and joists are rotting. How long will it take to get to the ideal moisture reading and is it better to be stored in a garage or inside a house? Timber framing needs to be dried to acceptable moisture content levels as stipulated in NZS 3602:2003 Timber and wood-based products for use in building. 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 used my Wagner meter and it Measured in the 10% area. Brilliant article. Other signs of high moisture readings include surface mold, evidence of water flows in the crawl space, evidence of water stains or evaporation from foundation walls and columns, evidence of condensation on ducts and evidence of water drops impacting the soil under ducts. Jerry, From a moisture standpoint, water in the basement can over time absorb into your subfloor. The electrical current will then move from pin to pin and measure the resistance encountered. Were so sorry for the inconvenience. Seattles EMC ranges from 12.2% to 16.5%. Floor joists transfer loads to the vertical beams of the house. https://www.wagnermeters.com/wood-moisture-meters/. It is also possible to have moisture content readings over 100%. I would think it would vary depending on the contents. Most are reading are between 13-15%. This article is really helpful. 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. Moisture content of 11.5% for the oak is a little high for furniture grade hardwoods. our question is do we need to replace the floor to avoid fungal problems? If low WMC readings were obtained during the winter, and other signs of high moisture levels are present, obtain additional readings during the summer. My question for you is, now that it is stained, can I still get an accurate MC? Under the floor. guide-standards-tolerances.pdf. The SG setting is on the card that comes with the meter. . Alternatively, you could set up a crawl space dehumidifier and draw the . I am not familiar with the particular moisture meter the plumber was using, but assuming it is correct, that moisture content is way too high to install new flooring. Divide that difference by the sum of the on-center spacing of the floor joists: 118.5" / 16" = 7.40625. As the humidity decreases, the MC decreases, causing the wood to shrink. The normal outside equilibration moisture content (EMC) for Indiana is anywhere from 13% to 16%. 3.Vacuum and/or Wipe Excess Moisture. I live in Atascadero CA and had a coastal red oak tree cut down this past summer. Any advice would be appreciated. Simply put, the post offers some useful information. If after the inspection we find that your sagging floor joists need support or your home's foundation needs repair we may recommend using IntelliJack, JES Helical Piers, or JES Push Piers. I wanted to talk to someone at Wagner about moisture guages and is there a dealer near Chattanooga, TN. The manufacturer of the oil-based poly should have a specification on the maximum allowable moisture content of the wood. Thank you, In wood products manufacturing, 6-8% is pretty much the norm, at least in North America. The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) has specific installation guidelines for wood flooring and how they relate to moisture content. Using South Carolina Residential Construction Standards to Solve Problems, Website by Integritive Web Design :: Asheville, NC. This must be done before attempting to dry out the wood. Im hoping this should work. A dry reading will be 16% MC (Moisture Content) or below. Kiln-dried wood usually shows a moisture reading of 10% on the outside and then 25% on the inside. Whats the Difference Between a Home Inspection and an Engineering Inspection? Required fields are marked *. I have seen that 13.5% is high for furniture and you should aim below 12%. We appreciate you writing in, best of luck! The amount of swelling or shrinkage depends on how much the . Bird, who runs the School of Fine Woodworking outside Knoxville, Tennessee, says he knows wood shrinks seasonally but wants to minimize the shrinkage and expansion by drying the wood to a moisture content of about 8%. With a degree in Computer Systems, Larry is involved in both hardware and software development of wood moisture measurement solutions. I dont know what type of floor you have, but if it gets wet enough, about 25% moisture content or higher, mold can grow. /U (li7":-JOBHO,9UY) /P 65492 >> endobj 14 0 obj << /S /GoTo /D [ 15 0 R /Fit ] >> endobj 27 0 obj << /S 45 /T 91 /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 28 0 R >> stream Structural flooring for laying direct to joists or battens is a minimum of 19mm thick. In the Midwest, the EMC of wood or lumber in Des Moines, Iowa, ranges from 12.4% to 14.9%. thanks so much in advance. There are areas where organic growth was very active to cause deep, black discolorization. The ideal moisture content for hardwoods is between 6% and about 9%, depending on the ambient conditions around the wood. Good luck. I would like to rip two slabs and glue them together to make a nice large dining room table. The new wood was brought in in bundles ~2 x 2 x 6 and left that way to acclimate for ~2 weeks. Once the summer cooling season ends, and the A/C is shut off, and the outside air cools, and the humidity drops significantly, the cool dry air now flowing beneath the home dries out the floor joists. We built our home from ground up and have a sealed crawl space dehumidifiers, etc In January of 2019, we had our builder and hardwood floor contractor come out because our hardwoods were starting to separate a lot. i also drilled into the wood every few inches, several inches deep with a typical drill bit. For example, a 26 Southern Pine joist can span 12'. What is the acceptable moisture level for plywood? One of his own service guys said foundation caps needed to be replaced. This will stop the wet/dry cycle that exists every year, in every ventilated crawl space containing A/C ductwork in the SE United States, over their lifetime. I never obtained a moisture reading above 16%. Call 256-318-0982 or, Engineering Inspection Mortgage Companies, Unnecessary Panic! Softwoods, such as spruce, can have more moisture. Back to top. Every home's foundation repair needs are different based on soil type, type of foundation problem, and climate. This type of floor-leveling is DIY-friendly and costs approximately $1.50 per square foot when applied 1/8-inch thick. One sheet of plywood is 25% next to a 2X4 truss reading 17-27%. Would you be able to say anything about the optimal MC range for this specific situation? 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. These WMC readings are usually provided by pest control operators, and are included in the termite letter (form CL-100 Official South Carolina Wood Infestation Report). Interior walls non-insulated at around 7-8% mc. Remove Moisture From The Air - If your crawl space has a lot of ventilation, you should be able to set up a large fan in the opening of the crawl space and leave it to run for 10 to 12 hours. A subfloor needs to be clean, dry, level and structurally sound. In contrast, Las Vegas in the drier Southwest has much lower EMC percentages than most other U.S. cities. This water may come from condensation, roof leaks, plumbing leaks, or contact with the soil. could you please guide or on how much should be the Expected Humidity % in high Humid areas like UAE considering these are mostly for Indoor purpose where ACs are on 247 at say 24 Degrees. Second, would the same pine slab, would it be okay to use for a side table or Kitchen island. Replaced the subfloor, which is . The house was not in the flood area however they did receive 20 inches of rain. I so appreciate your treatise on this issue. Oh no! They are putting desiccants in the container to absorb the moisture but we feel its going to be a long time enclosed in the container without any air circulation. Hi, we live in a coastal area, had a recent water leak, and a hard wood floor MC is measuring about 25% the water did not contact this area directly. Was told thats not done. Effects of Moisture on I-Joists and LVL April 2007 P.O. 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? The joists can be longer or shorter as required by space and size, and are typically spaced at either 450mm or 600mm apart. With regard to mold growing on your furniture, I would have to defer you back to the shipping company as they have more experience dealing with these types of issues. Some of the unfinished wood you see on the market has been kiln-dried to reduce its water moisture content to around 8% so that it wont suffer from moisture-related defects like warping and buckling. So we are seeking redress, but there are jacks present underneath the home which the home inspector didnt report either and didnt know if this was extra support for the water heater or what. With a concrete subfloor you should use a digital hygrometer, which needs to be left in place for at least 24 hours. Your email address will not be published. Hi Larry, We are a joinery company and we have a project here in UAE which is located in another part of the emirates and the humidity in that area is very high especially during summer because it is near the coastal area. Many timber-framed floor problems can be traced to moisture levels, excessive loads or borer. Now would the pine be okay to use as a top cover piece to an radiator cover? we are presently constructing a new timber frame residence on ocean front in BC, Canada. water leaked over the edge. I am not sure if this is pressure treated wood given its an exterior wall and if that affects what these numbers are. As a result, the normal moisture meter reading for these materials in between 0.5% and 1%. The more specific way to know would be to measure the relative humidity and temperature in your homes air and then plug the numbers into a calculator like this https://www.spikevm.com/calculators/logging/equilibrium.php This will tell you what the MC% should be based on your specific environment.
Howland Hook Container Terminal Tracking,
Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Zodiac Signs,
Boris Johnson Net Worth Vs Jeremy Corbyn,
Articles A