Moisture meters are an essential piece of equipment that many people use to ensure their caravan is kept in the best condition. If your caravan has visible water spots on the ceiling, distorted walls, or a musty smell in your caravan; it means it’s time to get a moisture meter and check the moisture levels in your caravan, as these are immediate signs of a moisture issue in a caravan, RV or motorhome. Issues with damp are very expensive to repair and can also present a potential health and safety hazard as they can lead to the breeding of dangerous moulds.
To prevent damp in your caravan, it’s vital to know the signs before they get unmanageable. A caravan moisture meter is an excellent tool for checking your caravan’s dampness levels are kept under control and allows you to fix the problem before it worsens. It’s essential to use this tool and know the different types of moisture meters available, which is why this blog post will explain what to look for in a good moisture meter and suggest some of the best moisture meters available.
I have looked at several caravan moisture meters. Here are four I’d recommend for various reasons:
| Moisture meter | Type | Batteries | Weight | Price | Link to purchase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brennenstuhl Moisture Meter | Pinless | One 9V battery required | 156g | £22.58 | amazon.co.uk |
| XRCLIF Moisture Meter | Pinless | 2 AAA batteries are required. (included) | 220g | £58.99 | amazon.co.uk |
| DURFICST Moisture Meter | Pinless | 3 AAA batteries are required. (included) | 230g | £39.99 | amazon.co.uk |
| Klein Tools Moisture Meter | Pinless | One 9V battery is required (included) | 198g | £41.17 | amazon.co.uk |
This blog post will cover the following:
What is a moisture meter?
Moisture meters measure the amount of water within a material, in this case, your caravan. This measurement allows you to determine whether the moisture levels are appropriate or if adjustments need to be made to avoid damp-related issues. Moisture meters tend to have digital screens that indicate if the moisture levels are too high within the caravan. They can assess materials, such as wood, concrete, drywall, and paper.
These are usually the material that makes up the interior of a caravan which is why so many caravan users find them useful. Excess moisture inside the caravan damages the material, so it is vital to take meter readings to determine how much moisture your caravan has.
There are two types of moisture meters available, pin and pinless. Both of these are suitable for testing moisture levels in different materials.
Pin moisture meter
Pin moisture meters usually have 2-4 small steel probes that are inserted into the material to read the moisture level effectively. This moisture meter is suitable for plaster, plasterboard, concrete, and wood materials. It works by probing the meter into the material and then measuring the moisture levels by circulating the current between two points. The resistance level then translates into a moisture content value. The pin moisture meter allows for a greater range of depth readings than the pinless variety. These pin moisture meters are not always suitable for use in a caravan as the pins need to be inserted into the material, which will pierce holes in it. Therefore, they will cause damage to your caravan.
Pinless moisture meter
The pinless moisture, sometimes referred to as the non-damaging meter, features a sensor pad instead of the two pins. This pad transmits an electromagnetic signal, allowing it to assess the moisture levels in contact with the material. It does this by assessing the fluctuations in wave movement data to determine the level of moisture present. The measurement process does not require the meter to be inserted into the material, which makes this moisture meter so popular among caravan users.
Take a look at our previous blog post ‘How does a caravan moisture meter work?’ to learn more about moisture meters and how to use them.
What to look for in a good moisture meter
I asked online forum users on Caravan Talk why so many caravanners use moisture meters and if they are worth investing in. One of the responses I got was from user ‘Mr Plodd’, who explained that:
“Caravans up until not that many years ago were constructed over softwood frames. Panel joints could (and did) leak. The water that got in would soak into the wooden framework causing them to rot. The replacement was (is) a costly and very time-consuming process. A moisture meter could identify this damp at an early stage, thus reducing the amount of work required to fix it. Most modern caravans no longer have wooden body components (other than the floor), so water ingress, and by default damp isn’t as much of a problem as in the past.”
He then went on to say:
“As to whether it’s worth getting one or not is all down to how old your caravan is and how much at risk you feel it might be. Damp should be checked for at each annual service. Meters vary in price from around a tenner to well into the hundreds. I picked one up for around £10 in ALDI a few years ago primarily to check the moisture content of wood for wood turning, but it also works in my caravan.”
When looking for a good quality moisture meter for your caravan, you may realise that there are so many different brands on the market that all vary in price. It can be a confusing process trying to find one that is affordable but also of good quality. Here are some things to look for that will help you identify a good moisture meter.
- Moisture range – A good moisture meter will allow you to read anywhere between 0.2% and 60% moisture content. The range you need will depend on what you’re measuring and where you measure it.
- Safety – Since moisture meters are electrical items, it’s vital to ensure that yours complies with EU safety, health and environmental requirements. This will come as a CE marking on your product. This means that the product has passed a series of tests to ensure that it is safe for people to use.
- Brand – As explained above, many brands manufacture damp meters, but the best brands will ensure their readings are more accurate. If you have an inaccurate moisture reading, you may be treating a problem that you don’t have. If your moisture meter has underscored your reading, you may have a severe damp problem that you don’t find out about until the damage has become irreversible.
- Guarantee – If you want added peace of mind, It’s always good to ensure the damp meter you’re interested in comes with a guarantee. This gives you extra protection if a fault develops with the product, as the company will provide you with a replacement or repair it for you.
The best moisture meters
Since having moisture meters for your caravan can help detect damp-related issues, it is good to invest in one to make sure your caravan is kept in good condition. With so many different moisture meters available, it can be difficult to know which one to purchase. This blog post section will look at some of the best moisture meters to help you decide which one to go for.
Select the moisture meter you want to read about to be taken to the relevant information:
Brennenstuhl Moisture Meter
| Moisture meter | Type | Batteries | Weight | Price | Link to purchase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brennenstuhl Moisture Meter | Pinless | One 9V battery required | 156g | £22.58 | amazon.co.uk |
One of the best caravan moisture meters on the market is the Brennenstuhl Moisture Meter. This moisture meter is easy to use and allows you to measure the moisture level of various materials such as wood, concrete, brick, screed, plasterboard, and wallpaper. The Brennenstuhl Moisture Meter has an impressive measurement range between 5-50% for wood and 1.5-33% for building materials.
For difficult-to-reach locations, the device also has a press and hold function while also having an auto switch-off function to preserve battery life. It has an ergonomic casing, and the probes also have a protective cover for when it’s not in use.
The Brennenstuhl Moisture Meter is available on Amazon. Click here to find out more about this dehumidifier and to purchase it.
XRCLIF Moisture Meter
| Moisture meter | Type | Batteries | Weight | Price | Link to purchase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XRCLIF Moisture Meter | Pinless | 2 AAA batteries are required. (included) | 220g | £58.99 | amazon.co.uk |
The XRCLIF Moisture Meter adopts high-frequency electromagnetic wave induction measurement, which can accurately read the moisture level without punching holes into the measured item, and will not cause any damage. This moisture meter can be used in the chemical industry, wood, paper, bamboo, blank wall, floor, and other building materials, making it well suited to caravans. It also features a 10-level density setting, suitable for all major material types and suitable for indoor and outdoor materials. You can use it to determine the moisture content in a range of materials as it has a measuring range of 4%-80%.
The XRCLIF has been designed with a large, easy-to-read LCD screen and features max/min moisture measurement, automatic temperature compensation, and promotes low voltage. This multi-functional moisture meter has a sturdy, ergonomic shape and rubber side grips that let you take multiple measurements.
The XRCLIF Moisture Meter is available on Amazon. Click here to find out more about this dehumidifier and to purchase it.
DURFICST Moisture Meter
| Moisture meter | Type | Batteries | Weight | Price | Link to purchase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DURFICST Moisture Meter | Pinless | 3 AAA batteries are required. (included) | 230g | £39.99 | amazon.co.uk |
The DURIFCST moisture meter can measure a range of different materials, making it suitable for use in a caravan. It is also straightforward to use as all you need to do is press the “SEL” key to select the measurement mode. What makes this moisture stand out from some of the others suggested in this blog post is that depending on which material mode you have set the meter to, if the moisture content is too high, it will ring an alarm to warn you about it. In addition to this, it is very easy to understand the readings on this meter as the value is colour coded in green, yellow, or red to signal if the moisture content on your caravan is acceptable or not.
This moisture meter measures the moisture value by transmitting and receiving high-frequency electromagnetic wave signals to the measurement object through the sensor on the back. The measurement speed is fast and accurate, and it will not leave any traces of damage to your caravan.
The DURFICST Moisture Meter is available on Amazon. Click here to find out more about this dehumidifier and to purchase it.
Klein Tools Moisture Meter
| Moisture meter | Type | Batteries | Weight | Price | Link to purchase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Klein Tools Moisture Meter | Pinless | One 9V battery is required (included) | 198g | £41.17 | amazon.co.uk |
This moisture meter has been designed to non-invasively detect hidden moisture content up to 19 mm deep into the material. With the Kein Tools Moisture Meter, you can easily select between materials with a mode button to test the surface of materials such as drywall, masonry, hardwood, softwood, etc. This moisture meter has easy viewing with a bright, reverse-contrast display and LED bar graph.
The Klein Tools Moisture meter has 9 LED bars to indicate the moisture range of the material and uses low battery power thanks to its auto-power-off functions. This sturdy moisture meter has been built to withstand a 2m drop, making it great for use in several places, not just the caravan.
The Klein Tools Moisture Meter is available on Amazon. Click here to find out more about this dehumidifier and to purchase it.
This blog post has given you a range of suggestions to choose from, all of which have been tested by caravan users and have been highly recommended. Although there may be countless other damp detectors that also work effectively, it is usually a good idea to look into the damp detectors that have worked well for other caravan users to ensure you receive the best one that does the job accurately.
