FLOOR ED
Plan for Concrete Slab Moisture Testing or Plan for Failure
E
xcessive moisture in concrete remains a costly challenge for flooring installers. These costs are estimated to be nearly $1 billion each year in the United States alone due to
moisture-related failure in commercial concrete flooring.¹ Many causes of moisture-related concrete flooring failure can be avoided or mitigated by properly testing the concrete’s moisture condition before installing the flooring.
Jason Spangler Wagner Meters’ Flooring Division Manager Jason Spangler, Wagner Meters’ Sales Manager, 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 November 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 (844) 533-9100 and ask for Jason or www.wagnermeters.com.
Unfortunately, the defensive value in concrete moisture testing is often undermined due to indifferent or nonexistent test planning or poorly performed moisture testing. Poor planning or specifying can result in using a second-tier, unreliable testing method. The most scientifically validated and reliably accurate method of measuring moisture conditions in concrete is in situ relative humidity (RH) testing. Improperly testing a slab’s moisture condition will similarly yield erroneous readings even if using an otherwise accurate test method. Consequently, RH testing must be done in compliance with ASTM F2170 (Standard Test Method for Determining Relative Humidity in Concrete Floor Slabs Using in situ Probes)² and must be done using a reliable RH testing system. The exact concrete moisture test method to be used may or may not be specified in the project documentation. Even so, failure to specify proper testing leaves everyone who
48 Premier Flooring Retailer | TISE Edition 2021
