Most Home Inspectors walk around with some pretty cool tools in their tool belts or tool bags. They have assorted flashlights, screwdrivers, cameras, mirrors, electrical testing equipment, moisture meters, and even marbles. Some will loose their marbles every now and then---but most get the job done.
Not only do we have to know what these tools will help us do, but we must also be mindful of what they cannot do for us. For example the moisture meter is an indispensible item in our tool bag and it can be our "seeing-eye-dog" on the inspection.
The better moisture meters have the ability to read surface moisture as well as moisture at depth in materials. These "sounding" or "depth-reading" type moisture meters are great for telling us if there is moisture under floor coverings around toilets and tubs; as well as behind tiles in tub and shower enclosures. They can find moisture where we can't see it and confirm moisture where we suspect it.
They can sometimes tell us there is moisture when there actually isn't any. These are called "false-positive" readings. All tools have their abilities and limitations and the inspector needs to be experienced with both aspects so as to be able to best interpret his or her "visual" and "technological" findings. Otherwise, recommendations to our buyer might not be complete and actually cost someone in the process a lot of aggravation. For example the inspector claims there is moisture under the floor covering around the toilet---his moisture meter says so----so it must be so. But, if there are boys in the house, it could be false positive readings from the salts present on the floor. A simple cleaning of the area and re-testing will give better information. Having someone rip out a toilet, or worse yet, rip up the floor and find nothing would be at best "embarrassing" and at worst might cost the inspector some money. Usually there will be a combination of symptoms that support each other in the quest to come to a "meaningful" conclusion.
It is my routine in finished-basements to test around the perimeter of the walls that are below grade. I test for moisture every two to three feet to get a sense of any "current" problems related to the covered foundation. Stains, previous repairs, or swelling of finish materials would obviously rate extra scrutiny. Any time you install finish walls over foundations, the potential for hidden moisture concerns is high----especially in older homes that didn't have the drainage technologies that we do today.
On a recent inspection, while testing around the perimeter, I came to an area about 18 inches long that tested as "positive" for moisture and if you looked at the area very closely one could make out a faint outline of area that was a slightly different color----but very subtle. Can you see the area in this photo?
Now, after seeing the area outlined in this next picture, can you see it?
At this time, I had to bring out a very specialized tool to aid in the investigation. It is an adaptor that attaches to the moisture meter and is able to "smell" the wet area. In this case it turned out to be pet urine---the distinct smell of cat pee. Cats will often "mark" their territory around the perimeter of basements and often fool the moisture meter. Here is a picture
of this highly specialized tool----
every inspector has a similar one----
and hopefully they use it where necessary.
Of course there are those instances when no tools are really necessary.
Charles Buell
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Charlie,
I have two different pinless meters. They each use a different system for reading under the flooring. It is interesting to compare them. I get more false positives from the sounding one.
Charles, this is a good blog! You must have pulled a few strings yesterday with that featured(congratulations on becoming so famous!) blog. Two features in two days or so is almost a Harley!
How do you do those neat little outlined spaces anyhow?
You should have been in my latest REO that had 3 cats residing. It took all week just to kill the fleas. No telling how much "moisture" will be found in there.
hey Charlie, that is a pretty neat inspector gadget :)
Steve, you have to love the "false positives" to keep us on our toes---or noses as the case may be:)
Barbara, thanks---the roof one kind of surprized me. To do the outlined area, just open a picture in MS Excel, and then use the drawing tool bar to do anything like that that you want. Then save it as a PDF file. Use the PDF "snap shot" option and paste it into MS Paint and then save that as a JPG file----pretty simple once you go through it a few times:)
Kara, Inspector Gaget----thats me:)
Charles, does the "adapter" come in other shapes and sizes? I think I have one around here, somwhere, I just can't seem to see it.
:)
Good info, as always.
Rick, most can be found with a simple glance in the mirror:)
WOW .... Cute looking sniffer. Does it come in different ethnicitys? Also, does it come with it own 'Picking" ..... for cleaning it out?
Sean Allen
Sean, as varied as the user:)----to clean----just blow it out!
I was thinking that it may be ike a swiss army knife that has a tooth pick ...... It own built in pick for cleaning. I would think that "blowing" it out may not be effective.
Sean Allen
Charles, it's great you have all the right tools. I like the picture of the "obvious" where no tools are needed to see massive work that needs to be done. It must be fun writing up that disaster of a situation.
Sean, I think that idea can be incorporated into it:)
Gary, and yet there are those that would jump through all kinds of hoops to get the mold "tested" when it really is all about fixing the water problem.
Hey, you stole my nickname. I even have an 'Inspector Gadget" that resides im my tool case.
But I really want one of those cool looking proboscus meters.... where did you get it? (from the "nutcase"?)
Charles - If you find any extra marbles, I've lost mine recently and I fear they may be gone forever. Nice find on the wall. My meter attachment has developed hay fever so in the late summer I have to rely on some not so sophisticated tools.
Kevin----you got that right:)
Jack, some people go their whole lives without loosing their marbles----consider yourself blessed:)
All my Excel gives me is a spread sheet and I hate spread sheets. I must not have what you have.
Barbara, I am working on a "tutorial" about how to do it----for this coming week. Hang in there----I am sure you can do it with any "relatively" recent version of excel. You do need to be able to convert files to PDF's though:)
Charlie,
I have seen puddles of water on the floor. Had clients ask if I would be using the moisture meter. How much water do you have to have, to know that you have water.
That's is beautiful wall paper on that picture. Can you ask the homeowners were they purchase it. I would like some for my hot water closet too.~Newbie Roy
Great post as always,enjoyed.
Steve, it is another one of those "too much is never enought" situations.
Roy, you may be onto something: "Mold-like" wall paper----sure would hide a mutlitude of sins:)
Hey, are those yellow stains around the base of the toilet caused by a 'leak' ??
Kevin, only the knows nose for sure:)
Charles, Two indespensible tools. I find I am quite "attached" to my adapter. I have found those type of wet spots more than a few times. The ol' adapter sure does help confirm that it isn't water.
James, it is good to be pretty wall attached to the adapter:)