“For the installation of vinyl-backed sheet products, manufacturers recommend the moisture levels to be at 80% as required by the ASTM F2170-02 “Standard Test Method for Determining Relative Humidity in Concrete Floor Slabs using the in situ Probes.” The ability to achieve these numbers is becoming more difficult to obtain.

There are several factors that make these requirements difficult to reach, these are as follows:

1. Time required to sufficiently dry concrete in a fast-track world. You can only dry concrete
“so-fast” before cracking, curling and other adverse things begin to happen to the slab.

2. Concrete that is value-engineered or has too high of a water-to-cement ratio (0.50 or higher)
to allow for a quality slab that will dry faster.

3. A slab without vapor retarder/barrier or one that has an inadequate vapor retarder

4. The use of curing and sealing compounds on the surface of the concrete which are designed to
hold the moisture in the slab for hydration purposes, extend the drying time.

5. Areas of high humidity. Seasons of the year, when the humidity is extremely high and the
structure lack humidity controls that will aid the drying process.

6. Areas of cooler temperatures. The cooler the environment the slower the drying process and
without temperature controls the drying time of the slab is extended.

There are certain areas of the country that reaching the moisture requirement of 80% is almost impossible to achieve without the use of a moisture remediation treatment. The object of a moisture remediation control system is not to stop the moisture movement, but to control the moisture.”

To continue reading about solutions to moisture issues click the link below!

“Moisture Levels: Don’t Trust, Verify”
Floor Trends Magazine
March 13, 2013

 http://www.floortrendsmag.com/articles/95200-moisture-levels-dont-trust-verify?v=preview