Inspection technology
Moisture Meters in Building & Pest Inspections
A moisture meter lets an inspector measure how much moisture is inside a wall, floor or timber without cutting into it. CYTE inspections use a Tramex Moisture Encounter ME5 — a non-invasive meter that reads through the surface — to check the places damp hides. It is an aid to the visual inspection to AS 4349.1 and AS 4349.3, and elevated readings are recorded in your same-day written report.
What it does
Measuring Moisture, Without the Damage.
Moisture is behind a large share of the defects found in homes and units — leaks, rising damp, water ingress around showers and windows, and the timber decay and conducive conditions that follow. The trouble is that the early signs are usually hidden inside the material, not visible on the surface. A non-invasive moisture meter solves part of that: it reads the moisture level a short distance below the surface and signals when a reading is unusually high, all without pins, holes or marks on the wall.
A high reading is not a conclusion in itself — it is a prompt. It tells the inspector exactly where to assess more closely, often alongside thermal imaging, before the finding is explained in plain English in your report.
The meter
Tramex Moisture Encounter ME5 — The Specifics.
The Tramex ME5 is a non-destructive moisture meter widely used in building and timber pest inspection work. Its calibrated ranges let one tool read accurately across very different materials, from a timber subfloor to a tiled bathroom wall.
| Specification | What it means on site |
|---|---|
| Reading type | Non-invasive and pinless — readings are taken without puncturing, marking or damaging the surface |
| Depth of reading | Two settings: up to 10 mm below the surface (shallow) and up to 30 mm (deep) |
| Materials | Timber (actual moisture-content %), drywall, plaster, roofing, tile and masonry |
| Calibrated ranges | Five scales — wood & timber, shallow depth, drywall & roofing, plaster & tile, and masonry |
| Alerts & reporting | Audible high-moisture warning, with Bluetooth to the Tramex app for recording readings |
How CYTE uses it
Checking Where Damp Hides.
During an inspection, the meter is run across wet areas, the base of walls, around windows and door reveals, under sinks and across timber where moisture would do the most harm. Readings that sit higher than the surrounding material are noted, located and explained. In units and apartments this matters even more, where water from an upstairs bathroom or a neighbouring lot can travel before it ever shows on a surface.
The moisture meter is one part of a complete building and pest inspection. It is an aid — the inspection remains a visual, non-invasive assessment to Australian Standards, and your written report is the deliverable you act on.
Common questions
Moisture Meters, Answered.
Do building and pest inspectors use moisture meters?
Yes. A Tramex Moisture Encounter ME5 is used to take non-invasive moisture readings in the places damp tends to appear — wet areas, around windows, beneath sinks and along the base of walls. It is an aid supporting the visual inspection to AS 4349.1 and AS 4349.3; elevated readings are noted and explained in your same-day written report.
Can a moisture meter find a hidden leak?
It can point to one. The meter detects elevated moisture inside a material without damaging it, so an unusually high reading in a wall or floor can indicate water where it should not be — a leak, rising damp or water ingress. It identifies the symptom; the likely cause is then assessed and written up in the report.
Does a high moisture reading mean there are termites?
Not by itself. Termites are drawn to moisture, so damp timber and high readings are a conducive condition worth flagging. Whether there is actual timber pest activity is determined by the timber pest inspection to AS 4349.3 — not by the moisture reading alone.
Is a moisture reading the same as a mould test?
No. The meter measures moisture in building materials only. CYTE does not carry out mould or air-quality testing — where elevated moisture is found, it is recorded clearly so you can act on it.
More in our FAQs, or read about the thermal imaging camera we use.