That $40 moisture meter from Ace turned out to be worth it

I was sure those pin-style moisture meters were a gimmick. My basement in Arvada kept getting damp spots after rain, and I figured I could just tap the drywall and guess. Finally bought one for $39 at the Ace on Wadsworth, and it flagged a reading of 18 percent behind the baseboard. Sure enough, there was a slow leak from the sill plate. Has anyone else had a cheap tool prove the pros wrong?

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1 Comment

taylor.amy7d ago

Tbh 18 percent is barely damp. Ive seen contractors walk away from way worse and just re mud over it. Unless that probe hit actual standing water, youre probably fine. Leaks from sill plates happen all the time around here and they dont always turn into rot. Maybe the meter saved you some peace of mind, but calling it proof the pros are wrong feels like a stretch. Most of them would just look at the stain and already know what was going on, no $40 gadget needed.