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Types of Moisture Meters

Shah Newaz Alam
The moisture meter, as the name suggests, is used for detection and analysis of moisture. It is particularly used for the detection of water percentage in wood, plants, soil, concrete etc. Read about the various aspects of this device and its uses given here.
You must have noticed moisture meters in the hands of people who are into wood work or carpentry. They need it for detection and analysis of moisture in wood, to know if the wood that they have selected will suit their purpose or not. However, their use is not limited to wood only. Let us take a look at the different types that are used for various purposes.

For Wood

A wood moisture meter works on the principle that, the wood resistance decreases, as dampness of the wood increases. The decrease in the resistance is converted into digital data and the meter displays the percentage of water in the wood.
This device consists of two electrodes, which are inserted into the wood, to find out the resistance between them and hence its dampness. For ideal wood work, the amount should be at equilibrium with respect to its surroundings. If the content in wood changes, it may result in a change of the shape of the wood.
You must have noticed that when a piece of wood is dried for a long time, it loses its shape. People who are into carpentry, want to avoid this and hence, this device serves their purpose.

For Concrete

Concrete moisture meters were introduced to check the dampness of concrete slabs that are used for construction purposes. Their principle of working is same as that of the wood meter.
The resistance between their electrodes is checked here too, to find out dampness of the concrete. However, they significantly differ in their detection and analysis methods.
They can measure up to a depth of 1 inch from the surface. This is required because people working in the field need to know the content at the depths of the concrete slab, to analyze the construction.

For Soil

This is required to find out if the plants in your garden would require watering or not. It may happen that because of rain, the dampness of the soil is already sufficient and your plants do not need any more water, for a considerable amount of time.
Under such cases, a soil moisture meter can be used to find out regularly, if the plants require any additional watering.
If it rains regularly and your plants are getting over watered, then it can help you in determining if you need to take some preventive measures, to cover up your plants from the rain. This meter works on the same principle as that of any other type.
When using a moisture meter, you should follow the manufacturer's instructions or the manual. Always buy one that can easily fit into your grip. Also, check that the electrodes are flexible and bendable. You can easily carry around a wood or concrete one along with you, while a soil moisture meter needs to be put in the soil of the planted area.
If your plants need watering, then it will be indicated on the device. It is one of the most handy devices and solves the most important purposes of detection and analysis of moisture, not only in the wood work and construction business, but also for our gardens.