Humidity tester for screed drying

[ragg987]

Hi, can anyone recommend an inexpensive humidity tester for anhydrite screed? I believe something like this hood could work well, though I see at least one article on internet that it may not be accurate enough for anhydrite.

https://www.tramexmeters.eu/hygrohood-with-built-in-sensor

Prefer to keep cost low - after a few weeks of use it becomes useless to me, so over to eBay or similar to recover some of the cost.

On that note, there must be a few of us who buy tools or equipment for a one-off build then it becomes redundant - worth creating a forum here for sale / exchanges? I hope to complete my build in a few months and will have a few items to dispose of.

Rajive

[PeterW]

I'm not convinced that a moisture sensor will be much use on screed - the manufacturers normally state a drying time based on depth.

There is a for sale / wanted at the bottom of the main board if you want to put anything there 

[ragg987]

Ah great did not spot the for sale section. Shall visit that.

Manufacturer does have a rate they specify, would take 50 days on my screed which I plan to accelerate with forced air changes and UFH. Problem is I do not know how effective these will be and how much time it would cut from the manufacturers time.

Also, we have a basement that is much cooler than ground floor - I doubt it will dry out as fast.

[PeterW]

Watch out for drying the screed too quickly with UFH as it is the moisture that creates the cure in some and is a vital component.

How much are you looking to trim off the manufacturers time..?

[ragg987]

Pour is just under 3 weeks old now, so should be over that initial period where we should not dry too quickly.

I am hoping to trim approx 2 or 3 weeks, nothing too aggressive. But more importantly, I need to have some certainity that the conditions are right prior to proceeding to finished floor. My concerns is that the manufacturers 50 days is under "ideal conditions", whatever that means. And every week in our summer is different from the previous one - I mean this week is completely wet and humidity is quite high. So far from "ideal", I think.

[Declan52]

For that type of Screed the guys who laid it are meant to return and test it for drying out and if dry enough sand it to remove the laitance that forms on top. Then it gets sealed and sealed and sealed until it won't absorb any more.

1 day per mm up to 40mm and 2 days per mm for over 40mm. Don't rush the drying out or skimp on the surface preparation or you tiles won't stick.

[DeeJunFan]

My brother just got the all clear on his.  took over 12 weeks in all.  He wasn't too happy about it but not much you can do when its in there.

I'm not sure how much longer it would have taken in the depths of winter.  

[ragg987]

The advise I have is different - the laitance slows down the drying process so I was advised to remove it after 1 week. Was also told that the removal could get harder if left on too long.

So we scraped it off after 1 week and I hope that means it is drying faster now.