I’d rather overdo it with fans and dehumidifiers than trust a gadget. Mold’s no joke, and replacing subfloor isn’t cheap.
I get where you’re coming from. I bought one of those meters off Amazon and honestly, it felt more like a toy than a tool. I’m not sure if I trust my own judgment either, though. How do you know when it’s actually dry enough to start repairs? Is it just a waiting game, or do you go by smell, feel, or something else? I keep worrying I’ll miss something and end up with hidden mold down the line...
I’m in the same boat—never sure when it’s actually “safe.” I’ve tried the hand test and even sniffed around for that musty smell, but it’s hard to trust my senses. Sometimes I wonder if pros can really tell either, or if everyone’s just guessing. The paranoia about hidden mold is real...
Honestly, the “hand test” cracks me up every time—like, what are we supposed to feel for, a secret handshake from the mold? I get what you mean, though. Even after years of fixing up water damage, sometimes it’s just a guessing game. I’ve seen folks tear out half their drywall just because they caught a whiff of something funky. Ever tried one of those moisture meters? Curious if anyone’s had luck with those or if it’s just another gadget collecting dust in the toolbox...
Moisture meters are actually pretty handy, at least in my experience. They’re not perfect, but they beat the “sniff and guess” method. I’ve caught hidden damp spots behind baseboards that I’d have missed otherwise. Just gotta remember to calibrate them now and then…
- Moisture meters are a lifesaver, but yeah, they’re not magic wands.
- First thing I do with a burst pipe is kill the water main—no meter needed for that one.
- After that, I’ll use the meter to hunt down the sneaky wet spots, especially in drywall and under trim.
- Funny thing, I once trusted my nose and missed a soaked section behind a cabinet... ended up with a mold party a week later.
- And yeah, calibration matters. Learned that the hard way when mine started reading “dry” on a puddle.
