Purchasing a damp meter?

sevenhills

I had a leak a few years ago, only minor, but I wondered if checking with a damp meter would show up any problem sooner.
It was a leak from the toilet, which soaked a wall downstairs.
They are only around £10 on ebay, are they simple to use and then diagnose any issues?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Digital-LCD-Damp-Moisture-Meter-Detector-Tester-Wood-Timber-Plaster-Sensor/192406857552?epid=1539316406&hash=item2ccc57a750:g:HasAAOSwusdaeXiY

WhiteyCantley

It's a difficult one, damp could show for a variety of reasons so wouldn't necessarily mean a leak.
knowing where the likely spots for a leak are is a big advantage, for example joints in pipes (soil, water, heating etc) . Having said that, for peace of mind £10 for a damp meter would confirm increase in moisture content. Best thing to do when using a damp meter is make a note of the readings in susceptible areas and periodically check for any increase in readings, a tiny weep could show over weeks or months. They are a doddle to use.
Hope this helps, I am a Builder with 36 years experience so I'm not just guessing !!!55357;!!!56842;

FreeBear

sevenhills wrote: »

I had a leak a few years ago, only minor, but I wondered if checking with a damp meter would show up any problem sooner.

I've got the exact same model that I use for checking the wood I burn - It is the only thing those things are good for.

Using one on plaster/brickwork is OK to give an indication of possible damp across a wall. There are too many variables that prevents those types of meters from giving a reliable damp reading on anything other than untreated wood.

Different types of plaster, paint finishes, salt content, buried metalwork, temperature, time of day, and even the amount of pressure used to drive the prongs in - All will affect the readings given. See this for more info https://www.heritage-house.org/damp-and-condensation/the-ping-prong-meter-guilty-of-fraud.html

Rolandtheroadie

I bought a pronged one to check out a caravan I had, but didn't like the thought of loads of pinholes everywhere.
So bought one of these instead.
https://www.generaltools.com/pinless-lcd-moisture-meter-with-tricolor-bar-graph-1