Wasted $300 on a moisture meter that lied to me

Bought a cheap pinless moisture meter off Amazon last month for a basement job in Pittsburgh. Thing kept reading under 12% on the concrete, so I went ahead and laid the LVP. Three weeks later the customer calls me saying the planks are buckling and the floor is wet underneath. Rental meter from Home Depot showed 18% moisture. Never trusting those budget meters again. Anyone got a brand that actually works for concrete slabs?

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3 Comments

alexlewis5mo ago

Man that's a rough lesson. Pinless meters can be real finicky on concrete especially if the slab is slick or sealed. I'd grab a pin type like the General Tools MMD4E if you want something reliable without spending a fortune. Those carbide tipped pins get a real reading not just surface noise. Also always cross check with a calcium chloride test on slabs it's the only way to be sure.

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nancys904mo ago

Actually calcium chloride tests measure vapor emission rate not moisture content lol.

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black.margaret5mo ago

Did you check if that slab had any moisture barrier under it first?

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