Concrete floor moisture

[aff8863]

Looking to test my garage floor to determine the water pressure coming up before deciding how to remediate it. I know about the single use calcium chloride tests, but when going to buy them stumbled on these moisture meters from Klein that are pretty inexpensive.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SZX8QXH?tag=atomicindus08-20

Anyone know if these would accomplish a similar task? Is it measuring something different? Are they not as reliable?

We don’t get standing water, but big patches of dark/damp concrete floor whenever it rains.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Fav Onefour]

Plastic sheet and tape.
No need to buy a fancy kit before doing the cheap and simple test.

 

[aff8863]

Plastic sheet and tape.
No need to buy a fancy kit before doing the cheap and simple test.

It’s not a question of whether there’s moisture. It’s there. I see it when it rains. Issue is how much. Most epoxy and/or poly products cite certain amounts of water pressure they can resist. I’m trying to figure out if I need to do the added step of using a cement moisture sealant/hardener. The directions for them sound like a pain in the ***, so I don’t want to do it unless I absolutely have to.

 

[FJ4FUN]

Go straight to the anhydrous calcium chloride tests and follow the directions carefully. Moisture meters are basically useless for this application.

 

[Shea]

Use a minimum of three calcium chloride test kits to place in different areas of the floor. This will provide a more accurate picture of the issue. You may need to purchase an inexpensive gram scale from Amazon.

 

[cgrutt]

I'd use the test kit. Is the klein a pin or pinless meter? I have a pretty good Lignomet pinless meter that can be used standalone on concrete but they recommend drilling test holes and adding sensors for most accurate results on concrete.

BTW if you can see the moisture it's likely too damp for epoxy (without a primer) as far as I know.

 

[bluedog225]

You probably know this, but Improving the drainage is the first solution.

If you can’t do that because a slope or whatever, I‘d dig a hole and see what your water level is like.

Giving your general location might help. I don’t think I’d ever be comfortable fighting a moisture issue like that by depending on the ability of some surface sealant to block it out. Maybe it works and I just don’t know. But that path seems like a lot of good money potentially down the drain.