Cause Of Excess Moisture On Concrete Slab Floor

These can adversely affect a concrete slab on grade.

Cause of excess moisture on concrete slab floor.

Some of the potential flooring issues that can result from excessive moisture vapor transmission are. Discoloration moisture can cause discoloration of stained decorative concrete. A little rainfall or a bit of groundwater can drain away with well designed drainage. We recommend you choose a moisture resistant flooring material when installing over concrete since many factors influence its moisture levels.

Remove plastic and check for moisture condensation. What are causes of excess moisture in a concrete slab. In unsightly contrast could be the result of excess water. Inadequate water drains off from the building.

Check concrete slabs for high ph along with excess moisture is another problem high alkalinity. Tape a 2 x 2 foot square of plastic sheeting onto dry concrete. It is not uncommon for moisture to produce lighter or darker variations of a selected color. Inadequate drainage around the slab exacerbates the risk of any source of moisture.

In fact the existing water source itself may not be the problem. Any excess water vapor will get trapped between the concrete slab and the floor. Alkalinity is a natural occurrence in all concrete and helps prevent reinforcing steel from rusting. A network of random cracks whose only causal connection is established when the concrete surface shrinks excessively generally caused by high heat low humidity during drying.

Inaccurate insufficient or misinterpreted moisture tests. Rain snow or fog can also get onto the slab. Causes of moisture accumulation in concrete. But when alkalinity is too high above 9 or 10 on a ph scale it destroys the bond between the adhesive and floor covering.

This is the predominant cause of moisture problems the culprit is not liquid water below the floor that gets in contact with the slab from the underside but rather moisture vapor in the soil that comes up into the slab. Inadequate sub slab moisture protection. Keep excavation free of water keep below grade excavations free of water to prevent potential reservoirs of moisture that can migrate upward through slabs. In slabs below grade moisture comes in the form of sub slab vapor.

Excessive moisture below concrete slabs can cause structural degradation of soil bearing strengths and swelling and shrinkage of soil. Wait 48 hours at minimum. To discover whether your concrete moisture is caused by humidity or vapor barrier issues. Delamination or bonding failure of a floor covering due to the highly alkaline liquids that can condensate underneath cracking or bubbling of a floor covering or resinous floor coating system.