Moisture Measurement Queensland
The term dry is relative; every structural material has an acceptable moisture content that prevents deterioration as a result of elevated ongoing moisture conditions. It is important that the attending restorer is fully conversant with each materials target benchmark moisture level, in order to prevent further damage from occurring as a result of inadequate drying being undertaken.
Should the main water feed pipe burst in your property, it will release approx. 9 litres of water per minute into the building, this equates to approx. 540 litres per hour. If this runs for 2 hours or more before it is stopped – there will be a minimum of 1080 litres of excess water which equates to a ton of water in weight that requires removal from the building.
Following a water loss event, water penetrates the structure, e.g. A concrete slab that is 150mm thick can hold, as much as 30 litres of excess water per square meter of material at full saturation. This means that a room which is 30 square meters in size, may contain as much as 900 litres of water which requires removal post-event.
Drying goals may be at, or above the dry standard and should be documented as they relate to specific materials. The restorer should establish drying goals that would be expected to:
A: inhibit microbial growth; and
B: return materials to an acceptable moisture level or moisture content.
Using Australian and other global standards as a reference point, we know that concrete is at an acceptable condition enabling the laying of floor coverings when the slab reaches an in-depth condition of 80% equilibrium relative humidity.
At Pircsa we use known standards and material manufacturer’s guidelines as references, we set target benchmarks based on those standards. This ensures that the structure is dry to acceptable conditions on completion of drying.
As a result, we can provide guarantees in the form of a certificate of drying on completion of our work. By using our services, you have complete peace of mind that when we carry out restorative drying, you can safely start repair works following the removal of the equipment.