Protect your Bonita Springs, FL, home from the insidious destruction caused by moisture in your concrete slab through routine testing provided by Innovative Construction Solutions. Our technicians can identify problems before they cause damage or before you invest in new flooring or other tests.
The Need for Concrete Slab Testing
Contrary to appearance, concrete is porous and moist by nature. It starts as a liquid mixture of cement, aggregate, sand, and water. You might think moisture won’t be an issue once the concrete hardens. Think again. Concrete’s porosity means that ground moisture can lead to significant problems, particularly with flooring and foundations. Routine concrete slab testing is key to home maintenance, as is regularly monitoring the rest of the building envelope.
The Effect of Moisture Levels on Flooring
“Dry” concrete levels are usually between 3.5% and 4.5%, but flooring usually describes the acceptable moisture conditions on the packaging. Just because a floor looks dry does not mean that it is. Vapor can transfer through the porous concrete. When flooring is added to the concrete, the vapor can’t evaporate. Instead, it condenses and causes mold and floor damage.
Testing Concrete Moisture
Innovative Construction Solutions’ testing of your concrete slab is vital to the health of your home and its components. We can perform a definitive test that precisely measures the moisture level within the slab. This information is critical to contractors or DIY-minded homeowners who plan to install flooring.
Overcoming a Concrete Moisture Issue
In Southwest Florida, where humidity reigns, concrete slab moisture can be an issue for on-grade slabs and basement areas. Builders find ways to mitigate elevated moisture in the concrete slab – from installing a raised subfloor called a sleeper to laying subfloor panels underneath the flooring material.
The flooring material you choose can also affect the success of your system. If the concrete slab has excess moisture, appropriate flooring materials range from ceramic or porcelain tile to waterproof vinyl and rubber tile. Materials that are not suggested without some form of mitigation include laminate, hardwood, bamboo, and carpeting.
Moisture will always be present in a concrete slab floor; it’s inescapable because of the material’s porosity. The amount of moisture can cause problems. Indications to watch for include dark spots on the concrete, condensation residue, cracking, peeling, etc. A concrete slab is always a potential problem in a home unless appropriate mitigation has been completed. We at Innovative Construction Solutions urge you to contact us today for thorough testing.
If you see visual evidence of water, contact us immediately. A leak underneath the slab can have devastating consequences for the structure’s overall structural health. Our inspection methods allow us to quickly and precisely identify the source of any leak and the extent of the damage. We utilize advanced thermal imaging diagnostics to evaluate the building envelope, including the slab floor.
Thermal imaging lets us find minor problems before they cause significant destruction. We can also find the issue with less damage and find the least damaging solution.
Innovative Construction Solutions is a subsidiary of BCB Homes, and we work diligently to live up to its legacy of excellence.
Click here or call (239) 384-5890 to reserve your place on the Innovative Construction Solutions schedule for concrete slab moisture testing in Bonita Springs, FL.