It seems to me the supplier is drying the Teak to 14% because that is what is needed in Indonesia. A Brick Veneer Crack Tragedy: A True Story, Spraying for Mold on Floor Joists: Pest Control. The installer should then check the moisture content of multiple boards and average the results. Because ventilated crawl spaces throughout the Southeast United States allow high humidity and fungus spores to enter the enclosed space beneath the home. Using wood with a moisture content above 14% isnt recommended because it may have detrimental long-term effects on the construction. A moisture content that is too high will also slow the cure of the SLu and can affect the subsequent floor finish. For most areas of the United States, acceptable moisture levels of wood and lumber can be in the range of 9% to 14% for exterior wood or for building envelope components within constructed assemblies. Currently the RH is 76%, the residence RH will be set at around 35%. Am i looking at mold if i dont rip the floor out? Soil is almost always damp. Most are reading are between 13-15%. Currently reading a 12.5%. Sorry that this is so long-winded and I thank you in advance if you are willing to address this question for me. Many timber-framed floor problems can be traced to moisture levels, excessive loads or borer. Top 5 Causes of Cracks in Brick Veneer Homes. All Rights Reserved. hello I been getting very sick in my home so I had my manger do a mold and moisture test which came back high level of moisture levels which a contractor wants to take the sub floor up and 2 to 4 inches of the wall but my apartment manger is not releasing to report and hes is saying the spore test didnt pick up any mold spore question is it safe for me and my family to be in the home with high level of moisture in the restroom which the floor have been really soft for over 9 months now as well as the kids bedroom where a pipe burst. Hello Enjoyed the article. I live in Atascadero CA and had a coastal red oak tree cut down this past summer. There are joists that display splitting. The next question is almost the same as before, if we have various kinds of wood, such as March wood, mango wood, pine. Although, in this example, the moisture content of the timber rarely goes above 17%, it is not uncommon for winter moisture contents, in pitched roofs, to peak above 25%. They are in an unheated and currently very cold barn The moisture ranges from 11% -16% according to my meter. i am baffled. Perhaps try to seal the vapor barrier better around the piers. Looking back at pictures of the build process, they brought the hardwood bundles into my home in late October of 2017 and installed them 3 days later. Here is a link to our new line of meters: https://www.wagnermeters.com/moisture-meters/. In other words, the water weighs more than the wood fibers. We dont know if we still have leaks? The flooring pieces should be removed from the packaging to allow the ambient conditions to equalize the wood. First, test the moisture level of the subfloor. Best of luck with your project. I recommend one of our Orion models: https://www.wagnermeters.com/moisture-meters/. : Mold & Fungus In the Crawlspace. Did the Contractor mention anything about the structural strength of the joists? These are slabs roughly 2 thick. I used my Wagner meter and it Measured in the 10% area. They need to carry a moisture meter with them under houses and probe the floor joists to measure wood moisture content. Pinless meters also dont leave damaging pinholes on the woods surface. Based on common guidelines or recommendations, the acceptable moisture levels for wood are as follows: Keep in mind that a woods acceptable moisture level will depend primarily on how it will be finally used and the average RH where it will be finally used. Is your electrical outlet that is 3 inches above the floor inside the house? 1 4 You can Google moisture content of wood necessary to support fungal growth and see for yourself. One note is that we did have some fungus growth in our crawlspace during the construction phase prior to the crawlspace being sealed and had the contractor come and spray and clean the floor joists and subflooring where applicable. Do you think that heated floor actually help to dry or do they make things worse and more humid! z .XWb*QGF^v4MQ`_dRw{\;\'03Uhx-SeJlc!m\8X^,Z/hU5Ewdzz:`nZ!(7reWD4X. Step 1: Check the Floor. h_k0 r ?c|@+wpF=M^r? ( BzPxgA9P{j]s 3r\WQu\@U.Jy'h{>dccy. A high reading in one area indicates a problem that must be corrected. The thinner veneers wont have much bearing on the reading. for a mere $4900. The acceptable wood moisture content normally ranges from 6% to 8% for woodworkers who build cabinets, fine furniture, musical instruments, dishes, toys, decorative art, boat restoration, or various other wood products. . If an interior location has an average RH of 40-52%, wood placed there will have an average EMC of 8-9%. As a result, the normal moisture meter reading for these materials in between 0.5% and 1%. Accuaracy is of course more important.. Yes, the wood can still be read for MC with a stain on it. A company sealed off the foundation vents and removed all the insulation from the crawlspace with the humidifier mitigating the moisture from the leaks. There are areas where organic growth was very active to cause deep, black discolorization. Do you have any recommendations on how to prevent mold from getting on the wood? This would depend on the expectations of the person receiving the product in India, how large of diameter the logs are, and some average estimate of what the conditions would be inside the container during the 55 days. Screwed 2x4s parallel into the joists as added support. Installers should also measure the moisture in wood subfloors and concrete slabs as they can also affect wood flooring. There is only so much moisture a piece of wood can give up, over time, before a failure occurs. The plywood setting is .57. Hope that helps. So, to sum up, Moisture in crawlspaces is bad. Treatment levels for timber and timber-based materials used under tiles in wet areas where the waterproofing membrane cannot easily be inspected or maintained should be: H1.2 for timber floor joists and wall framing around showers; H3 (CCA treated) for plywood. Prior to the re-shim, the pier in the area that floods in the spring could be felt pushing up the floor, meaning the beam is warping and been monitoring it. Higher values could mean a wet or saturated material. my question is, is there a possibility that the wood will shrink because of the weather condition?the wood that we used for the door frames and bidding is beechwood. Its more important to understand that the wood is kiln-dried down to a certain bell-shaped range of MCs. We have a free app called WoodH2O for Android or iPhone. Subsequently the woodgrain has reflected in the previously mirror-finish, only on the new panels and we suspect moisture content issues in the wood before it was varnished. However, this range will vary slightly according to the geographic region because of varying RH levels. I suspect the screws may be skewing the measurements. They are returning to remove one plank and take it back to see what they can do to meet my satisfaction. Lacquer will not make a reading difference as long as there are no metallic components in the lacquer itself. I live in michigan (humid summer, long cold winter). After my inspection I wrote the following report: As per your request, I visited the subject residence today to evaluate mold or fungus growth on the floor joists. This weight difference is then used to calculate the woods original moisture content. i also drilled into the wood every few inches, several inches deep with a typical drill bit. Ive been following your in depth blog on moisture meters for around 1 year now. If the leaks have damaged the sub floor or joists, call a licensed general contractor for repair. You mentioned it was installed just 3 days after it was delivered. We found out that RH at the final location was under 20%. Please help with T%, I have seen where 30% moisture loss by weight is a good rule of thumb to shoot for. The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) has a chart that indicates the moisture content of wood at any given combination of temperature and humidity. These home inspectors are insecure and inexperienced. A 10% moisture content reading means that 10% of a wood samples weight is due to water in the wood. 1= z@ Oh no! I requested the treated lumber be brought in a few weeks prior to build, stickered and put under cover to acclimate and dry it. Thank you for the well described article. The Building Code states that houses must be built so that a 50-year flood will not enter the building. What humidity content should cedar be at for proper gluing. in other hardwood areas that wasnt close to the water, was measuring about 16-19%. Thank you so much for your time and expertise. Two weeks is sufficient for softwood. Example: 1.2mm Hickory wear layer 9mm thick plywood compose of 7 layers, 2 layers acacia, 4 layers of Eucalyptus\2 layers Acacia and one layer Poplar. The boards have dried nicely so far with minimal warpage or checking. For joists where the rot infestation has been thoroughly dealt with: it is acceptable to leave the joist as it is. Should I remove more foam to be sure. This chart highlights the ideal levels of moisture in wood at various temperatures and relative humidity (RH) levels: In this chart, you can see a small highlighted section. Most types of wood species will mold above 25% moisture content, including pine. Room size, L-shaped, is 21.5 x 12.5 and leg of L is 8.5 x 11. Both times, the tables were flawless, but after 2-3 weeks in their new home both table tops had major crack issues. A termite repair company (also licensed contractors) told me that I needed to replace the planks on my second story deck. The engineered wood floor appears ok. Effects of Moisture on I-Joists and LVL April 2007 P.O. Maximum Moisture Content Of Concrete This is a nominal value most product manufacturers specify when concrete is dry enough to allow their product to lay down on it. Here is a link to our moisture meters, thermo-hygrometer, and Smart Logger. Hello, Paul here. Engineering & Inspection Services, Licensed PE - Alabama & Tennessee, JADE Engineering & Inspection | 5405 Whitesburg Dr. Even at this, the estimate would be the high end of MC% prior to shipment, but only rough estimate. When I purchase it its soaking wet and Ive always given it a few weeks, stickered and covered for at least 2 weeks, sometimes up to a month, to get it down to around 17-19%. Now would the pine be okay to use as a top cover piece to an radiator cover? Both slab-on-ground and suspended concrete floors for wet areas: are deemed impervious when steel trowel finished or polished. The other thing to consider is examining how water is entering your crawl space. As lumber dries, it may split, cup and warp. And would it be normal for the MC to vary from board-to-board and one end of a board to the other? I had several of the varnished decorative hardwood laminated ply panels replaced in the lounge on an air conditioned luxury yacht. Writing all the way from Australia, Steven. Softwoods, such as spruce, can have more moisture. Simple and regular maintenance can prevent serious problems developing. Ideally, you want to check the EMC in the area you will be working on your slab, along with the area it will live in. My builder and flooring contractor asked for me to give the hardwoods a season to acclimate and they would surely move back together in june/july time frame. Summers are hot and dry while winters can be cool. Position plywood panels at a 2-inch offset from the structural subfloor seams. You wrote that 15% humidity may induce mold? Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material, https://research.cnr.ncsu.edu/blogs/wpe/files/2016/08/Equilibrium-Moisture-Content-of-Exterior-Wood-in-the-US.pdf, https://www.wagnermeters.com/shop/orion-950-smart/, http://www.csgnetwork.com/emctablecalc.html, https://www.spikevm.com/calculators/logging/equilibrium.php, https://www.wagnermeters.com/shop/orion-910-deep/, https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=j6WRW76_NdmT0PEPkN29kAc&q=wood+moisture+content+and+mold&oq=moisture+content+and+mold&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0i22i30l3.8963.15970, Restoration Expert Says Moisture Management Critical to Health of Any House or Building, Correct Moisture Content: Critical to Your Woodworking Projects, Mckinleyville Middle Schoolers Learning about Wood Moisture Content, Ambient Data Loggers: Peace of Mind in a Box for Wood Flooring Installers, 5 Things Not to Do When Measuring Moisture in Wood Flooring, Alabama Wood Crafters Share Wood Woes When Overlooking a Moisture Meter. Then placing his pin meter on the screws. On truss/joist spacing of 16" (406mm) o/c or less, the industry standard for single- panel subflooring is nominal 5/8" (19/32", 15.1 mm) CD Exposure 1 Plywood subfloor panels ( CD Exposure 1) or 23/32" OSB Exposure 1 subfloor panels, 4' x 8' sheets. Once the summer cooling season ends, and the A/C is shut off, and the outside air cools, and the humidity drops significantly, the cool dry air now flowing beneath the home dries out the floor joists. Do NOT install the flooring planks until these moisture content levels are achieved. I live in Charlotte, NC. The levels were between 20 and 23%. This should be stuck into your wooden subfloor. I dont know what type of floor you have, but if it gets wet enough, about 25% moisture content or higher, mold can grow. Squeaks from subfloors The floor installer is often the 'first cab off the rank' when there is a squeaking floor and the problem may In an air conditioned house the wood floor. WME? When you do this, you not only ensure that the entire batch is okay on average, but youre also far likelier to catch boards that are statistical outliers and could cause problems. If you want, just give me a call at 800-634-9961, ext 225. Also, there is a risk of mold. Which Orion moisture meter model would you suggest for my application? When the wood neither gains nor loses moisture, we say that the wood has reached its equilibrium moisture content (EMC).