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Damp meter

C

Chris_374529400

Hello All, We're about to return to caravanning next year after a break of about 6 years, As a car mechanic I'm quite a practical person, but when looking for my next van, I want to be able to do a reasonable check for damp, can anyone recommend a good mid range meter for this purpose?
 
Hi

After a 2 bad experiences with damp caravans I too invested in a Protimeter Mini. Expensive but as already said as used by most dealers and MUCH cheaper than buying a damp caravan!!! It is easy to use and comes with a an extension lead which is useful for getting into difficult places, eg, the corners of cupboards. I found the cheapest price by searching on the "net" - worthwhile savings.

Prior to buying I did hire one of these a couple of times from a local tool hire company at about
 
Thanks for the swift replies, I'll definately be investing in a decent mid range meter as suggested, the point about it being cheaper than repairing damp is spot on. Chris
 
It has long been a trick by rouge traders to conduct a damp survey of homes and to deliberately misinterpret the readings of a meter to encourage a householder to have remedial work done that in many cases was not necessary.

I am sure that some unscrupulous caravan dealers have also produced meter readings on caravans to depress their value when being used as part of a PX deal.

The reason this can easily happen is that the meter needs to be used correctly and the reading needs to be interpreted depending on the materials being tested and the conditions at the time of the reading.

Unless you have the necessary information on how to use and interpret the readings for the materials you are testing the results are not conclusive.

The other glaring fact is that if you do correctly measure and find that you have excessive moisture in a caravan wall or roof, it means the problem has been there for some time, and the permanent damage may well already be done.

Having a meter does not prevent the occurrence, it may speed its identification, and it may catch it soon enough to limit the damage that damp can cause.
 
Damp in a caravan can show through extremely quickly and does not by any means indicate that damage has, or is likely to have already been done.

I had a repair done on my caravan (bodged) by a dealer and when I tested it, the area was bone dry. After just one or two day's rain, the meter showed damp and I was able to go back and have it rectified immediately.

Thereafter, the meter was invaluable in monitoring the drying period, which took several weeks even after the small leak had been properly repaired.

I now use the meter about once every other month and if nothing else it either reassures me that there are no more leaks, or alerts me to possible problems. It is true that you have to use common sense when using it e.g. if there is a lot of condensation about, but it isn't rocket science.
 
the protimeter mini is recognised as the industry`s tool for completing caravan moisture surveys. i have been using one for approx 12 yrs now, and i re-calibrate it once a month.

Just a couple of observations on this post. Correct me if I am wrong but I think this is one of the meters which has the "prongs" which have to be inserted into the fabric to give a reading. In this case if you used this on my van I would kick up due to the damage this would cause to the wall finish. If the prongs are just touched on to the surface then I would argue this could give a false indication of damp ingress as this may only be a surface condensation issue (quite common at this time of year). In my opinion for what it is worth, moisture meters should only be used and interpreted by people who fully understand and can correctly interperate the readings they provide. Generally they are only calibrated to give an actual damp reading on timber, for all other surfaces they can only be used to give relative reading.

I remember the first time I used a damp meter on foil backed plasterboard and pushed the prongs in too far, bloody thing went off the scale, not due to damp but due to the conductivity of the foil!

As far as recalibrating is concerned, I seem to recall the meter did come with a plug in device which did state the actual reading this should display on the reading but as to whether this could be adjusted by user, I will be happy to be corrected on this point!

Cheers

G
 
the protimeter mini is recognised as the industry`s tool for completing caravan moisture surveys. i have been using one for approx 12 yrs now, and i re-calibrate it once a month.

Just a couple of observations on this post. Correct me if I am wrong but I think this is one of the meters which has the "prongs" which have to be inserted into the fabric to give a reading. In this case if you used this on my van I would kick up due to the damage this would cause to the wall finish. If the prongs are just touched on to the surface then I would argue this could give a false indication of damp ingress as this may only be a surface condensation issue (quite common at this time of year). In my opinion for what it is worth, moisture meters should only be used and interpreted by people who fully understand and can correctly interperate the readings they provide. Generally they are only calibrated to give an actual damp reading on timber, for all other surfaces they can only be used to give relative reading.

I remember the first time I used a damp meter on foil backed plasterboard and pushed the prongs in too far, bloody thing went off the scale, not due to damp but due to the conductivity of the foil!

As far as recalibrating is concerned, I seem to recall the meter did come with a plug in device which did state the actual reading this should display on the reading but as to whether this could be adjusted by user, I will be happy to be corrected on this point!

Cheers

G
Click to expand...
Forgot to add the Protimeter Surveymaster is the meter I always used for non obtrusive investigation.

Cheers

G
 
yes this type does have 2 needles which indeed need to puncture the vinyl, otherwise you are reading the moisture on the surface and not the moisture in the timber.

but experienced technicians know to avoid holes being visible by lifting window rubbers and rubber cornices when testing. done properly, a caravan can be tested thoroughly with no visible holes.
 
yes this type does have 2 needles which indeed need to puncture the vinyl, otherwise you are reading the moisture on the surface and not the moisture in the timber.

but experienced technicians know to avoid holes being visible by lifting window rubbers and rubber cornices when testing. done properly, a caravan can be tested thoroughly with no visible holes.
Click to expand...
Still causing damage to the finish of the van! As I say the Surveymaster is the best and will give a core reading which, in my opinion, is more indicative of ingress affecting the fabric of the wall or roof surface. Unfortunately though the Surveymaster is considerably more expensive.

Cheers

G
 
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