The cheap moisture meter I laughed at saved my rear on a bathroom job

I bought a $25 pin-style moisture meter off Amazon just to shut up my foreman who kept nagging me about water damage. I figured my eyeballs and a knock test were good enough, no tool needed. On a remodel in Tacoma last month the drywall looked fine but the meter screamed 18% right behind the toilet flange. Pulled the baseboard and sure enough, black mold crept up the studs. Now I run that thing on every bath and kitchen tear out before I bid the repair. Anyone else trust a budget tool over their gut and come out ahead?

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sean488d ago

Swear by mine now too. I had a similar deal on a flip house in Everett where the floor felt solid and the paint looked fresh, but the meter caught 22% moisture along one wall. Turned out the gutters had been dumping water against the foundation for YEARS, and the whole bottom plate was mush. I would have bid it as a simple cosmetic job and eaten thousands in rework. That thing has paid for itself ten times over by now, no joke. I still do the knock test out of habit, but the meter gets the final say before I promise anything to a homeowner. Cheap insurance for a guy who hates surprises on a tear out.