Top Reasons Moisture Testing Is Essential Before Sealing

Moisture testing is an integral part of the building restoration process because it lets you know whether your building materials have too much moisture to be effectively sealed. Most people think that water can only enter buildings during the rainy months, in fact moisture can seep into buildings all year round, through cracks and gaps in your walls and roof. Not only does this add on extra costs when it comes time to make repairs, but it also increases the risk of future water damage.

Identify Mold Spots

Moisture testing is essential before sealing because it allows you to locate hidden mold spots in your home. A mold spot can grow into a full-blown infestation within two weeks, so addressing these spots immediately is critical to keeping your family safe. While all molds are harmful to humans, black mold is incredibly toxic and can cause serious health problems. By running moisture tests on your home, you’ll be able to identify hidden moisture spots that could lead to mold problems down the road. You can then address these moisture sources before they turn into significant issues for your family.

Prevent Structural Problems

A lot of homeowners think that sealing basements will help prevent moisture from damaging their homes. While it’s true that sealing should slow down water intrusion, there’s no way to prevent water from seeping into your basement forever. Instead, you should seal your basement only after testing for moisture levels first. If there are already high levels of moisture in your basement, then you’ll need to do more than seal cracks and holes to stop the damage, waterproofing will likely be necessary. Picking up some tools and supplies today could save you thousands in repairs later.

Avoid Unnecessary Work

By having a moisture meter, you can avoid expensive and unnecessary work. If a wall’s moisture levels are high, it is vital to dry out that area before doing any sealing work. You don’t want to spend time and money on something that will have to be redone. By having a meter in place, you can quickly test for moisture issues before spending more money on materials or labor on your project. It might be easier than you think to fix a problem if you catch it early enough.

Ensure Completion on Time

The last thing you want is for a project to take longer than necessary, costing more money and causing stress. With moisture testing being an essential part of any safe sealing process, ensuring you have all your bases covered is critical. In addition to ensuring that everything is dried entirely before finalizing a project, inspections are also required after a job has been completed, to ensure that no new mold growth has occurred since sealing. It’s also not uncommon for new molds or other growths to appear months after a job was completed if moisture wasn’t handled correctly. 

Save Money on Materials

If you’re sealing your basement or crawl space with spray foam but aren’t testing moisture levels first, there’s a good chance you’ll end up using more product than necessary. The more water there is, or moisture in your home’s air, insulation, and floor joists, which are what prevent wetness from seeping through your walls, the higher chance you have of needing more product to create an airtight seal. Keep in mind that using too much product can waste time and money by having to wait for it to dry before finishing additional projects in that room.