Tried a $30 moisture meter on my crawlspace and it kept saying dry even after a storm

Borrowed a cheap meter from a friend after that big rain last week and was getting all green readings but then I stuck a screwdriver in a joist and it was soaking wet so guess you can't trust those $30 gadgets, anyone else had a meter lie to them like that?

4 comments

4 Comments

fionafoster12d ago

Ugh, that's so frustrating, I feel your pain lol. I had a cheap meter that told me my bathroom subfloor was at 12% moisture content and I was like sweet, no problem. Then I pulled up a loose tile and the wood underneath was literally black and crumbling, completely rotted out. Felt like such a dummy for trusting that little plastic thing. Now I do the same thing as you, I just poke around with a screwdriver before I even bother with a meter, saves me from getting played again.

young.michael12d ago

Oh man, that is painfully relatable. I bought one of those cheap moisture meters off Amazon a couple years ago and it swore my basement was bone dry even after a pipe burst and I was literally standing in an inch of water. I felt like such a moron when I finally stuck a screwdriver in the wood and it came out dripping, guess my fancy plastic toy was just lying to me to make me feel better. Now I just poke stuff with a screwdriver first, saved me a lot of trouble and at least I don't have to feel like a gullible fool.

sean_barnes2412d ago

Honestly I used to roll my eyes at the "just stab it with a screwdriver" crowd but after my cheap meter told me my damp drywall was perfectly fine while the wall was literally crumbling I completely changed my mind. Now I keep a cheap screwdriver in my tool box right next to the moisture meter and always double check.

gavin_kim12d ago

Wait, I used to be one of those guys who thought the screwdriver trick was just old timer superstition. I figured digital had to be better than poking wood with a sharp stick, right? But after my own cheap meter told me my deck was totally fine while the boards were literally spongy and soft under my feet, I realized I was the dummy. Now I always do both too, meter for a general idea, screwdriver to make sure the meter isn't lying to me. That thing cost me way more in frustration and wasted time than the $30 I saved buying it. It's crazy how a simple piece of metal can beat a plastic gadget every time.