The general rule is that any moisture reading over 16% is considered
The real question is not whether your drywall is dry but whether the moisture level it contains is safe and appropriate. An acceptable level of moisture content is between 5% and 12%. Even a higher level may not spell disaster if not confined to a small area.
Significant Water Damage: When drywall has been exposed to substantial amounts of water, especially if it becomes saturated, it is typically best to replace it. Mold or Bacterial Contamination: Any drywall exposed to contaminated water or showing signs of Mold must be replaced.
Mold will grow in your home with humidity levels over 55% or higher. It can be controlled with a dehumidifier and good ventilation. Dry walls with a moisture level of over 17% may often need to be removed and replaced by a drywall service.
You should be aware that a moisture reading of 0-15% is quite normal and gives no cause for concern. However, moisture readings in excess of 15% indicate the need for further inspection. Levels between 25-30% indicate that there may be water ingress, meaning that remedial work could be required.
A moisture meter reading above 16% is generally considered damp, with higher readings posing greater risks. For plaster walls, readings over 20% may indicate significant water ingress, often caused by leaking pipes or external wall defects.
Moisture meters help detect moisture spots with possible mold growth. If your MC reading in wood is more than 20%, you may want to check these areas for mold growth. When the MC is above 20%, this is possibly where mold growth can start to happen. Humans have reason to attach negative connotations to mold.
Your sense of smell is the first line of defense against mold. You can often smell mold before you can see it. If you notice a musty smell in your home, there's a good chance you have mold. If you think you have a mold problem, get on your hands and knees and smell the electrical outlets.
Pinless moisture meters are definitely the way to go for home inspectors. Not only is their technology highly advanced and accurate, but they are extremely fast and easy to use. Given all of these great features, pinless moisture meters might even be a great choice for homeowners.
mildew and mold will develop within 24-48 hours of water exposure. Even worse, it will continue to grow until steps are taken to eliminate the source of moisture, and effectively deal with the mold problem. Use the diagram on the facing page to assess the extent of mold in your home.
Drywall, or gypsum board or Sheetrock®, is a common building material used to create interior walls and ceilings. While it is relatively resilient, it is not impervious to water damage. Exposure to water can compromise its integrity over time and cause drywall damage.
Moisture and water that get behind the wall cause the backside of the drywall to soften and even become mushy. Look for soft spots or wet spots in the drywall and gently press into them. If the drywall depresses, there is most likely water damage. Mold on your walls' surfaces.
The best way to dry wet drywall is to dry it from the inside out. This can be done by using a fan or a dehumidifier. Use a moisture meter to check the moisture levels. Once you have started drying the drywall, checking the moisture levels with a moisture meter is important.
The industry standard for acceptable moisture content (MC) in wood framing varies depending on the location. But typically, the number is somewhere between 9 and 14% MC.
Regularly check the dehumidifier's collection well, and reposition the air movers as necessary throughout the process to be sure to get everything. Use your moisture meter to track your progress. It takes around 3-5 days to completely dry wet drywall, so patience is key, but you should be seeing consistent progress.
Accuracy and calibration
A quality meter will be highly accurate and have a measurement range of 6 to 30%. It will also provide a way for the user to verify calibration. Cheap moisture meters might promise accuracy, but they'll lack the evidence for it. They won't have any studies to prove their accuracy.
Readings of 5 to 12% are considered normal, and up to 17% is considered acceptable.
When the relative humidity is more than 50%, moisture problems may occur. Generally, in cold winter conditions the relative humidity levels need to be low to prevent condensation and potential damage to the structure of the house and to discourage mold growth, which can cause allergies and respiratory problems.
The general rule is that any moisture reading over 16% is considered damp and needs attention. If your reading is over 20%, you may need to replace the drywall entirely. The walls in your home with healthy humidity levels should have a moisture reading between 12 to 15%.
There are some cases where you could simply spray moldy drywall with a mold stain remover. Clorox Clean Up is cheap and works well, but there are many others. You can use mold stain remover when the black mold is a simple “surface mold” caused by humidity.
Homeowners insurance doesn't usually cover mold damage or removal unless it's the result of a covered peril. If the mold in your residence was caused by something sudden or accidental, such as a bursting pipe or some other covered incident on your policy, you may be protected.
Ideal Moisture Levels: Maintaining perfect moisture levels in a home is crucial to prevent issues like damp and mould. Moisture levels between 12% and 15% are considered suitable for walls.
A concentration of mold spores above 500 sp/m3 is considered high. Therefore, if your report comes up with high concentrations of mold, it will likely advise you to remediate the problem. However, it is important to note that even low concentrations of mold spores can cause health problems in some people.
Moisture meters not only help identify the reasons for existing mold growth but also aid in preventing conditions that could lead to mold in the future.