About this equipment
HBS offers a Protimeter SurveyMaster moisture meter for pin and non-invasive evaluation of moisture conditions in building materials. Digital hygrometers are also available separately to monitor ambient relative humidity and temperature during a drying project.
Two tools with different jobs
A moisture meter evaluates material conditions at the test location. A hygrometer measures the surrounding air. Neither tool, by itself, identifies the water source or replaces inspection, calibration checks, documentation, or professional interpretation.
Build a monitored drying setup
Combine material readings and ambient conditions with FLIR thermal imaging, dehumidification, and air movement when appropriate. HBS confirms which devices are available, the rental period, rates, and fulfillment details.
Pin and pinless readings
The Protimeter SurveyMaster has two modes. Pin mode measures between two pins pushed into wood or drywall and gives a reading at that exact spot. Pinless mode scans below the surface without making holes, which makes it quick to map the edge of a wet area on drywall, tile, or flooring.
SurveyMaster modes in detail
Protimeter's SurveyMaster documentation describes how each mode works:
- Search mode (non-invasive). Held flat against the surface, the meter sends a radio-frequency signal into the material and reads moisture to a nominal depth of 3/4 inch (19 mm), depending on the material's density. It finds moisture behind tile and vinyl, is not thrown off by surface moisture, and gives a relative number rather than a percentage.
- Measure mode (pins). The reading is specific to the spot between the pins. On wood it shows moisture content; on other porous building materials such as drywall and plaster it shows wood moisture equivalent (%WME).
- Reference mode. Available in both modes, it stores a reading from a dry standard and then shows whether each new reading is above or below it.
A sensible routine is to scan a room in search mode to find the wet area and its edges, then switch to the pins to put a number on the spots you will track.
Reading the numbers
- Color scale. The SurveyMaster lights green for dry, yellow for at risk and red for wet. Protimeter's datasheet sets the pin scale at below 17 %WME for dry, 17 to 19.9 for at risk and 20 or more for wet; the search scale at below 170 for dry, 170 to 199 for at risk and 200 or more for wet.
- Compare like with like. Compare readings from the same mode on the same material. A search-mode number on tile tells you nothing about a pin reading on a baseboard.
- The dry standard decides. The IICRC S500 standard defines the goal as a reasonable approximation of the material's moisture before the water got in, measured on similar material in an unaffected area.
- Before refinishing. EPA's flood cleanup guidance says materials should read 15 percent or less on a moisture meter before refinishing.
- Concrete slabs. EPA's check before new flooring goes down: tape the edges of a clear plastic sheet to the slab, wait about 16 hours, and if moisture shows on the plastic, the slab is still too wet.
Using a digital hygrometer
A hygrometer shows the relative humidity and temperature of the air. EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally 30 to 50 percent, and UF/IFAS Extension notes that most molds thrive above 60 percent relative humidity.
- Read the drying room, a dry room in the same house and the outdoor air at about the same time each day.
- If the drying room stays humid while the equipment runs, the space may need more dehumidification or better closing off from the rest of the house.
- Keep windows and exterior doors closed while drying unless the outdoor dew point (or grains per pound, if your hygrometer shows it) is lower than the drying room's.
- Do not compare relative humidity alone, because it can mislead. Warm outdoor air at a lower relative humidity can still hold more water than a cooler room. In Florida the outside air is usually the wetter one, and EPA notes that warm, humid outside air slows drying.
Where to take readings
- Start in a dry area and move toward the wet one, marking the edge of the wet area with tape as you go.
- Along baseboards and the bottom of drywall, where water wicks up from a wet floor.
- At cabinet toe kicks, inside sink bases and under dishwashers.
- Around toilets, shower pans and tubs, and behind ceramic tile. Protimeter lists shower pans, ceramic tile and the area around toilets among search-mode applications.
- In the closet around an AC air handler or water heater.
- On ceilings under bathrooms, and below windows and on ceilings after a storm.
To find suspect areas faster across a whole room, pair the meter with the FLIR E6 Pro thermal camera.
How to track drying
- Take a reading on the same material in a room that never got wet. That is your dry reference.
- Mark a few test spots in the wet area and read them at the same time each day.
- Use a digital hygrometer to note the room humidity and temperature at the same time.
- Keep the dehumidifier and air movers running until the wet spots match the dry reference.
Keep a drying log
Write down the date and time, each marked spot, the material, the mode, the reading, and the room's humidity and temperature. A log shows whether the readings are falling and gives you a record of the drying.
If you would rather have HBS take the readings, daily moisture monitoring with drying logs can be added to an optional professional moisture assessment; see the rates under rental rates.
When the readings say stop
- Readings that stay flat or rise for several days can mean the leak is still active or the water is somewhere you are not measuring.
- A musty smell or visible mold. EPA points homeowners to professional remediation guidance when mold covers more than about 10 square feet.
- The water came from sewage, a toilet backflow, or outside floodwater or storm surge, which the IICRC S500 standard and the CDC treat as contaminated.
- The water came from a washing machine or dishwasher overflow, which the S500 standard places in Category 2.
- A sagging ceiling or floor, which FEMA lists as a sign of dangerous structural damage, or wet outlets or wiring.
Those cases go to an appropriate experienced professional. HBS does not offer mold remediation or contaminated-water cleanup, and neither a rental nor HBS's water-only drying includes restoration or repairs. For a clean-water leak, ask HBS about its separately scoped water-only drying at (772) 677-1735.
Renting in Stuart and nearby towns
HBS Equipment Rentals is based in Stuart and serves Martin and St. Lucie County, including Stuart, Port St. Lucie, Palm City, Jensen Beach, Hobe Sound, and Port Salerno.
Pickup or delivery is confirmed for each job address. For a moisture meter rental in Stuart, Port Salerno or Port St. Lucie, say whether you need the meter, a hygrometer or both.
Common questions
What is the difference between pin and pinless moisture readings?
Pin mode measures between two pins pushed into the material and gives a reading at that spot. Pinless mode scans below the surface without making holes, which is good for finding the edge of a wet area quickly.
How do I know when a wall or floor is dry?
Take a reading on the same material in an area that never got wet. The affected material is dry when its readings match that dry reference.
Why use a hygrometer during drying?
A hygrometer shows the room's humidity and temperature. If humidity stays high while equipment runs, the room may need more dehumidification or the space needs to be closed off better.
What do the SurveyMaster's green, yellow and red lights mean?
Green is dry, yellow is at risk and red is wet. In pin mode Protimeter sets those at below 17, 17 to 19.9, and 20 or more %WME; search mode uses a relative scale of below 170, 170 to 199, and 200 or more.
How deep does the pinless mode read?
Protimeter gives a nominal depth of 3/4 inch (19 mm), depending on the material's density. Surface moisture does not throw off the reading.
What humidity should the room reach after drying?
EPA recommends keeping indoor relative humidity below 60 percent, ideally 30 to 50 percent. Read the room with a digital hygrometer at the same time each day.
How do I check whether a concrete slab is dry?
EPA's test: tape the edges of a clear plastic sheet to the slab and wait about 16 hours. If moisture shows on the plastic, the slab is still too wet for new flooring.