Gear Review: Professional Moisture Meters, Which is best? Part 1 - Single Purpose Moisture Meters
Russell Rafton
Director at DRYFIX PRESERVATION LTD Yorkshire's Leading Damp and Timber Specialists / Director Coleman Diagnostics
Which moisture meter would you recommend?....... It's a question I get asked almost weekly and a very difficult question to answer briefly, so I figured the best reply was to write an article and share my thoughts and experiences over many years using a variety of different moisture meters. This article is aimed at surveyors and other building professionals who are looking to either buy their first moisture meter, upgrade, or simply add to their collection.
Over the past 15-20 years moisture meters have developed from an instrument specifically designed to measure moisture in building materials to instruments that are now capable of measuring water vapour in the air, data logging, taking surface temperature measurements and estimating the risk of condensation.
Choosing the right moisture meter can be tricky. It's a vast market with multiple manufactures, complex multi-meters and prices that vary from ￡50.00 - ￡1000.00 so how do you know which moisture meter is right for you?
I have a range of moisture meters from some of the most popular manufacturers of professional surveying instruments, many of which incorporate the same functions, but why so many? Well, like many professionals I like to have a backup and secondly I like to stay current with the latest technology and software, but also because testing moisture in buildings is not only my profession but a hobby and interest. So, do I need them all? No, of course not but I do have my preferences, my meters of choice for certain circumstances. I could probably narrow down my collection to just 2 or 3 meters to cover all the aspects of surveying if I wanted.
So which moisture meter is best? Well, the answer to that question is a little subjective and really depends upon personal preferences, budget, your profession and to some degree the materials you intend to test.
If you’re a building professional like myself where your work involves diagnosis and detailed moisture mapping, then you’re likely to require a complex multi-functional moisture meter . If however, you're a general building surveyor or a housing inspector for a local authority where your role is to simply identify the potential of an issue then you could probably settle for something a little simpler.
Moisture meters come with a variety of measurement modes. Some use pins which measure electrical resistance to establish moisture levels in timber with equivalent values in other materials. Others are entirely non-invasive and use radio waves to measure moisture beneath the surface of a material. This article won't go into the depths about how a moisture meter works however, if you are interested here's a link to an article I wrote that does
If I'm honest, I don't really like multi-functional meters and by multi-functional I'm referring to instruments that measure moisture in materials combined other functions such as hygrometers etc. I find there is always a compromise somewhere and because these instruments do almost everything, they rarely do one thing well. Multi-functional meters are often large, overly complicated with too many buttons or menus to navigate through features you’ll never use. In addition, they're also expensive, so if you happen to break one or perhaps leave it on a job (yep, I've left instruments in roofs before) then they're costly to replace. Irrespective of my thoughts however, they are very popular and do have an audience.
Here's my review of some of the most popular professional moisture meters on the market. I’ve included both multi-functional meters and single purposes meters which use both pin and non-intrusive functions. This review is completely independent, I have not been paid or sponsored by any manufacturer and the views and opinions within are completely my own. The accuracy of the information provided is to the best of my knowledge and believed to be accurate at the date of writing December 2021.
Gear Review: Professional Moisture Meters, Which is best??
Part 1 - Single Purpose Moisture Meters
Protimeter Survey Master (Single Purpose Moisture Meter) / Priced between ￡390.00 - ￡450.00
The Protimeter Surveymaster is a dual functioning wood calibrated moisture meter. The Surveymaster incorporates both pins built into the head of the instrument and a search pad on the reverse for taking non-invasive readings in materials up to ?” / 19mm deep. There’s also the option of using an extension lead with additional remote probes. Moisture content in timber is measured on a quantitative scale between 7.9% - 99% (over 30% are relative) and 70 – 999 on the relative scale using the search mode.
Unlike other manufacturers, Protimeter supply this meter with a set of extension lead pins and 120mm insulated deep wall probes for reading beneath the surface. Both these accessories connect to the side of the head unit using a convenient and easy to use 3.5mm jack. This is a much simpler and more convenient design than the Flir MR77. Also because of Protimeters popularity, most surveying stockists will usually have a set of spare pins in stock should you lose or break them whilst out surveying.
I generally gravitate towards using the extension pins however, the pins built into the instrument are extremely handy when reaching up to ceilings or narrowly beside furniture. Each set of pins are also easily replaceable should you blunt or break them, and a spare set even come with the package. The search pad is positioned at the rear and on an angle meaning your fingers a clear of the surface being tested. The search pad is a hard wearing plastic shell that does not leave marks on surfaces being tested, watch out for this with the Tramex. The search pad on the Surveymaster is also the largest in the Protimeter range. In the MMS range the size of the search pad has been reduced making space for the hygrometer thus, its less stable and you find yourself having to rock back forth for accuracy, which is really annoying.
At a cost of ￡390.00 - ￡450.00 it’s competitor is most likely the Tramex ME5 (also reviewed).
The handset fits nicely in the palm of your hand and feels well built, a tough moulded plastic with a rubber grip. It has a large LCD backlit digital display, which is easy to photograph and see in dark environments. This meter is both responsive and simple. The handset has just two buttons, an on / off button that also functions as a hold function and a mode button that also functions as the reference mode, it’s just simple and intuitive to use. The head of the handset incorporates a traffic light display that illuminates green, amber, red and the meter also incorporates and audible alarm. The alarm is the most noteworthy of any meter I’ve ever used as It also intensifies as the scale increases. With most meters the alarm sounds exactly the same irrelevant of scale.
The Surveymaster does come with a case however, the case is more of a carry pouch to hold the meter and accessories and offers little protection against impact or damage. A hard-shell case like the Tramex would be proffered.
The Surveymaster already comes with the extension pins and insulated probes however, it is also possible to purchase a set of hammer electrodes at an additional cost of around ￡142.00, which far more more reasonably priced than the Flir accessories. ?The package also includes a self-calibration check to ensure the meter is calibrated properly, which is an optional extra with the Tramex and not even mentioned or available with Flir. There is however, no option of an extension arm, so if you can’t reach it, you’ll need a ladder.
The Surveymaster doesn’t have Bluetooth, as such you won’t be producing detailed, fancy moisture maps using sophisticated software which is one advantage the Tramex ME5 has over the Surveymaster.
The Surveymaster does however, come with Protimeters two year warranty (1 year longer than Tramex) although falls a lot short of Flir’s Limited Lifetime warranty.?
Pro’s
?Con’s
Tramex ME5 (Single Purpose Moisture Meter) / Priced between ￡380.00 - ￡460.00
The Tramex ME5 is a single purpose wood calibrated moisture meter which is totally non-intrusive. The meter feels well-built, perhaps a little light but covered in a grippy rubber coating. The design of this meter means you don’t grip it in the palm of your hand as you would with most other moisture meters. Instead, your fingertips grip the side of the meter whilst placing it on a surface. Whilst this is fine for easy to reach flat surfaces, it is a little awkward when reaching behind or to the sides of cupboards and furniture.
The instrument like most is calibrated to read Wood Moisture Content (WMC) in timber between 0 – 30% and Wood Moisture Equivalent (WME) in other materials between 0 – 100% relative. The handset incorporates an old analogue style scale with deflecting needle rather than a digital reading. Don't be fooled however this analogue design is very quick to respond often quicker than some digital meters and I must admit, I do like the analogue display, it’s large, clear, easy to photograph and very easy to interpret. Unfortunately, the scale is not back lit as such, harder to see in dark environments however it does incorporate the familiar traffic light scale.
The non-intrusive impedance pads are large and flat to the bottom of the meter meaning it’s very stable. The depth ranges between 0.4” – 1. ?” and the meter includes 5 selectable scales which are optimised for testing wood, shallow depth, drywall, roofing, plaster, tile and masonry. ?
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Although the Tramex ME5 is designed as a non-intrusive meter meaning it theoretically causes no damage to the surface being tested, the black impedance pads can leave dark marks when accidently dragged over light surfaces, so do be careful. Tramex always advise that you do not slide the meter across the surface under test. Instead, you should place the meter on the surface, record the reading, lift and repeat.
The Tramex ME5 does incorporate Bluetooth meaning you can pair this handset with your phone or tablet allowing you to use Tramex’s moisture mapping software. Software like this is the future, it allows you not only to map moisture profiles on an individual jobs but also to record data for the progression of drying projects, ideal software for water damage restorers. Tramex are also one of the first companies on the scene able to offer this software package.????
The handset is supplied with a hard shell protective case which is great although I do wish Tramex would colour code or tag the cases as they’re all the same, meaning they’re difficult to differentiate when you have multiple cases in your tool kit. ?
It is possible to purchase an extendable telescopic arm with the ME5 an option not available with either Flir or Protimeter which will extend your reach by a further 800mm making it ideal for reaching ceilings and/or avoiding bending over. I would however say that the extension arm is an add on and the way it holds the meter is hindersome to some of the function buttons and measurement modes.
There aren’t any additional accessories with this meter therefore the absence of surface pins and insulated extension pins probably see this meter at a slight disadvantage to its direct competitors like the Protimeters Timber or Surveymaster.
It is possible to verify the calibration of the ME5 with a calibration check plate however, this is not included within the purchase, unlike the Protimeter who provide a calibration check with all of their meters. The check plate can be purchased for an additional cost of ￡65.00. This meter is however very well priced considering its ability pair with mobile devices and make use of Tramex' s moisture mapping software. As a single purpose meters its also considerably cheaper than the multifunctional moisture meters, you just have to consider that you loose the option of surface pins and hygrometers etc.
The Tramex ME5 only comes with a one year warranty however, my experience with Tramex as a company over the years has been very good. Tramex are a great family run business who produce an excellent range of moisture meters. I wouldn’t expect anything other than fairness and good customer service from them if you ever had an issue.??
?Pro’s
?Con’s
WE'RE NOT FINISHED JUST YET, BEFORE YOU GO FILLING YOU'RE CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS WITH NEW TOYS PART TWO OF THIS ARTICLE WILL BE PUBLISHED NEXT WEEK WHICH INCLUDES A SUMMARY AND A REVEIW OF A BRAND NEW PRODUCT NOT YET RELEASED.
If you've made it this far, I hope you found this review useful and if you have any questions or queries please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Happy surveying
Russ
If you would like to learn more about damp, moisture mapping or damp diagnosis you may?also find the following articles useful:
The Truth about Moisture Meters
https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/truth-moisture-meters-protimeter-russell-rafton-/
Moisture Mapping
https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/moisture-mapping-ideal-article-damp-specialists-water-russell-rafton-/
Industry Perception Study
https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/industry-perception-study-russell-rafton-/
Moisture Content Analysis
https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/explained-moisture-content-analysis-using-gravimetric-russell-rafton-/
Russell Rafton - Dryfix Preservation Ltd Senior Surveyor
Dryfix Yorkshires Leading Damp & Timber Specialists
A 5 x Industry Award Winning Company with the Property Care Association.
Partner at Home & Commercial
3 年Russell, interesting article, I look forward to the follow up (how is it that Ross is so quick of the mark!); I note that J G Mathews Ltd (02297184) went into liquidation; this was the company that Brian Livesey posted as him being MD of when he commented on your original article stating "There is no such thing as rising damp". I wonder if these two facts are related in any way? Brian listed MSc, MRICS & MCIOB, after his name, so clearly has relevant qualifications for buildings; I would be interested in his current views and whether these have changed?
Sales Director at Tramex Meters, Manufacturer of High Quality Moisture Meters since 1974
3 年Russell, thank you for your fair and comprehensive review of our meter! Just one thing to add: We have made some “Slide Protectors” for the ME5 to keep the pads safe from being scratched, as we know people will continue to drag the meter across surfaces, and these will also work to keep the wall safe from black marks without affecting the readings in any way. We can send details to anyone who is experiencing this issue. Thanks and keep up the great posting!!!
Qv10/blowerdoor tester en thermograaf.
3 年If i may ask russel, what is your opinion with your wide knowledge about the Gann moistere meters
Owner of Leak Detection Services NI
3 年Great work as always Russell