FLOOR ED
Tips to Help You Control Moisture and Mitigate the Risk of Flooring Failure
W
hen it comes to floor coverings, moisture problems are all too common. It doesn’t matter what type of flooring we’re talking about — wood, carpet, vinyl, tile, or something
else — if water vapor inside the concrete makes it to the surface, you’re going to have big problems. This is because as moisture deep in the concrete rises to the surface, it brings along with it soluble alkalis that raise the pH level and break down adhesives. You end up with swelling, blistering, cupping, etc. In North America, flooring failures cost billions annually to fix. Fortunately, they’re easy to avoid if you understand the moisture dynamics of concrete slabs and conduct moisture meaJason Spangler Wagner Meters’ Flooring Division Manager Jason Spangler has more than 25 years’ experience in sales and sales management across a broad spectrum of industries. He has successfully launched a variety of products to the market, including the original Rapid RH® concrete moisture test. Jason, who received an MBA from West Texas A&M University in 2018, has extensive industry involvement, including the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), the International Certified Flooring Installers Association (CFI), and is Vice Chairman of Associations for The Flooring Contractors Association (FCICA). Call Wagner Meters today at (800) 634-9961 and ask for Jason or www. wagnermeters.com.
surements of every floor installed over a slab.
History of Concrete Moisture Testing Two main ways have been used to perform concrete moisture readings: ● the calcium chloride (CaCl) test (ASTM F1869) that was improvised in the 1940s ● the in situ relative humidity (RH) test (ASTM F2170), which today is the most reliable method for testing concrete moisture levels We’ll go into more detail about the CaCl test and the in situ RH test below.
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