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HOW TO ACCURATELY MEASURE

MOISTURE IN GYPSUM WALL
BOARD
Posted by Tom Laurenzi on Apr 26, 2018 1:05:00 PM

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Gypsum is a popular material widely used in

construction and known for its re-resistant
qualities. One of its more popular construction
uses is gypsum wall board, also known as
drywall or Sheetrock®. Though the material’s
positive attributes outweigh the negatives,
gypsum’s limitations are worth discussing.

For example, one issue is that the material is

porous — which allows it to readily absorb and
be damaged by moisture. Proper management
and monitoring of moisture in Gypsum is
critical. Both Delmhorst’s BD 2100 and TECH
CHECK PLUS have gypsum/drywall scales.

Drying Gypsum Board

Gypsum wall board that has absorbed excessive moisture may be safely dried, but ONLY if drying takes
place before mold begins to form. Typically, there is a 24-48 hour window after having been exposed to
moisture. However, once mold has begun to form, the contaminated areas must be removed and
replaced. This means having the right drywall moisture meter on hand and taking accurate
measurements are essential if problems are to be discovered in time to save tainted materials.

Best practices suggest removing a buffer area of about 12 inches surrounding the mold. To ensure
safety, however, it's important to know just how far the moisture-compromised area of the board
extends. 

Testing for Moisture Damage

In some instances, after materials have been safely integrated into a structure, moisture damage can
occur. Some of the most common ways this occurs include storm damage and ooding, leaky pipes
and/or faulty installation of windows, doors, and ashing.
Sometimes, materials might be damaged to the point where they need to be ripped out rather than
restored. Knowing the gypsum’s moisture content can avoid much costlier and more time-consuming
problems later. Some moisture testing methods include unscienti c tests using sight or smell, as well
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as more scienti c tests with a moisture meter for drywall.

When using a gypsum wall board moisture meter, measuring the moisture content (%MC) of the
drywall is simple: just push the pins of the meter into the drywall and take a reading. By removing the
pins and inserting them elsewhere to repeat the test in different spots, it's possible to determine just
how far the moisture-compromised area extends.

Testing for Moisture UNscienti cally

Before using your moisture meter to determine the %MC, you can make some observations using your
own senses via your eyes and nose.

Visual Inspection: Drywall that has been compromised by water can appear to be discolored or show
signs of deterioration or crumbling. If you’re able to see such damage with your naked eye, there is a
chance that the moisture may have spread farther than the eye can see and the area will require a
more in-depth inspection with the use of a moisture meter.

Oder Inspection: If you’re able to smell the musty odor of an area suspected of having water damage,
then it’s likely there’s major water intrusion. If this is the case, then it’s recommended that you nd an
expert in mold remediation to address the issue.

Mold is likely to grow in areas with warm temperatures, unsterile conditions, and nearby moisture.

Finding the Right Gypsum Moisture Meter

Acceptable moisture levels vary depending upon the type of material. Therefore, it’s important to use
the right moisture meter for your inspection. When testing gypsum board, you’ll want to either use a
gypsum moisture meter or use a multi-scale meter that is set to the gypsum scale. Delmhorst’s
moisture meter models BD-2100 and TechCheck Plus have scales that are calibrated speci cally to
gypsum.

Given the challenging conditions of building inspection, installation

and drying jobs, it pays to have a simple, intuitive moisture meter you
can depend on—such as Delmhorst’s easy-to-use 2-in-1 TechCheck
PLUS, which is calibrated speci cally to gypsum.

For use on drywall, the Delmhorst BD-2100 has a digital display, an

adjustable alarm and Delmhorst’s exclusive drywall scale reading
mode.

We have found that the equilibrium moisture content (EMC) for

gypsum board at 50% RH is 0.3%. Samples exposed to 80-85% RH
equalize at 0.4-0.5%. At 90-95%, they equalize at 0.7-0.8% MC.

At these high levels, wood equalizes at about 20%, the generally

accepted threshold for wood decay. The actual threshold depends on
the length of time the high level of moisture has persisted, the source,
and even the type of paint or coating used on the gypsum boards.   
The readings the meter provides of up to about 1% on the drywall scale (20% wood) are of most value
since a tremendous change in conductivity occurs at around 2%. For all practical purposes, readings
above this point are compressed and should be considered more qualitative.
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For more help nding the right moisture meter for your job, contact our moisture meter specialists at
 877-DELMHORST (335-6467).

Topics: moisture meters gypsum wallboard

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