Moisture Mapping refers to the systematic process of identifying and locating areas of excessive moisture within a residential or commercial building. Understanding the various detection methods employed in moisture mapping is crucial for effectively addressing moisture-related issues and ensuring the health and safety of the occupants.
Moisture detection methods work by exploiting the physical properties of building materials when they come into contact with water. Here’s how each method operates:
Infrared cameras detect heat radiation emitted by objects. Moist areas have different thermal properties than dry areas, resulting in temperature differences that become visible on the infrared image.
Moisture meters exploit the fact that water conducts electricity better than building materials. They send electric pulses through the probe, and the resulting resistance is used to calculate the moisture content.
These probes penetrate the building materials and measure the electrical conductivity, which increases when moisture is present. The electrical conductivity is converted into a moisture reading.
Capacitive sensors utilize capacitive probes that sense changes in the dielectric constant of building materials. The dielectric constant increases with moisture content, allowing for accurate moisture detection.