Methodology
What we measure, how, and what we can't see.
Every claim on this site points here. The instruments, the reference method, how we decide the likely source, how we grade it, and the limits.
VISIBLE
THERMAL
Pin reading vs dry reference
Likely source
Bathroom floor waterproofing in Flat 702 above
Repair before purchase or possessionInstruments
Four instruments, one checklist built for Indian flats.
RCC frame with brick or block infill, cement plaster, bathrooms stacked floor on floor, terraces, plumbing shafts, AC drain lines and window frames set in plaster.
- Pin moisture meter
- Measures electrical resistance between two pins pushed into plaster. Wetter plaster conducts more easily and reads higher.
- Pinless meter
- Measures through the surface to a shallow depth without marking it. Used to sweep whole walls and on surfaces we must not mark.
- Thermal imaging camera
- Shows surface temperature differences. Damp surfaces are often cooler because water evaporates from them.
- Hygrometer
- Records room humidity and temperature, which the report lists under conditions on the day.
Why readings are relative
A meter number on plaster is a comparison, not a percentage of water.
Moisture meters are calibrated for wood or for a reference material. On plaster, brick and concrete their numbers are comparative. So the inspector first takes a dry reference reading on a wall known to be dry in the same flat, usually an internal partition, and every finding is reported against it.
Bedroom 1 ceiling
Living room sill
Bedroom 2 corner
Internal partition (reference)
Thermal alone isn't enough
Every cool patch is confirmed with a meter. Then we reason about the source.
The likely source is stated as an opinion, with the reasoning written next to it, so you, the seller or the builder can check it.
- 01
Shape and position
A round patch below a floor trap reads differently from a band along the skirting or a strip under a sill.
- 02
What is on the other side and above
A bathroom, a shaft, an external face, a terrace or another flat.
- 03
Pipe routes
Whether the wet area tracks a concealed supply or drain line, and whether it grows after a tap runs.
- 04
Recent weather
Damp that follows rain on a rain-facing wall points outside; damp that ignores the weather points to plumbing or condensation.
Severity grades
Monitor, Repair before use, Repair before purchase or possession.
| Grade | What we saw | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Monitor | Mildly raised readings, no active source found, or a likely condensation pattern | Watch it through the next monsoon; ventilate if condensation |
| Repair before use | Clearly raised readings with an identifiable, likely source | Fix before moving in or starting interiors in that room |
| Repair before purchase or possession | High readings over a wide area with an active source | Ask for the repair before registration or before accepting the keys |
Limits
What reduces what we can see.
- Tiles, stone, wood panelling and furniture reduce or block readings.
- A dry-season visit may miss a seasonal leak that has fully dried.
- We don't open anything: no drilling, no lifting tiles, no cutting.
- Readings describe the surface and a shallow depth on the day of the visit.
Calibration, training, independence
How we keep it honest.
- Meters checked against the manufacturer's reference before each visit.
- Inspectors assessed against the Megahedge checklist before their first visit, with background verification, ID cards and a booking code.
- Paid only by the customer. No repair work, no contractor commission.
- Any future referral arrangement disclosed on this page before it starts.
Questions about the method
Which make and model of meter and camera do you use?
Every report names the instruments used on that visit in its conditions section. Accuracy, detection-rate and depth figures are published only from the manufacturer's datasheet or our own field tests, with the source named.
Why not just use a thermal camera?
A cool patch can be damp, or a cold pipe, an air gap, a draught or a reflection. Every thermal anomaly is confirmed with a meter reading before we call it damp.
Can salts fool the meter?
Yes. Efflorescence and other salts conduct electricity and can raise pin readings on a wall that is dry. We cross-check with the pinless meter, the thermal image and the pattern before calling it damp, and the report says when salts were present.
Do you check calibration?
Meters are checked against the manufacturer's reference before each visit.
Do you get paid by repair contractors?
No. We are paid only by the customer, do no repair work, and take no commission. Any future referral arrangement would be disclosed on this page first.
Find the damp before you pay for it.
Book a moisture and thermal inspection. Report on WhatsApp within 24 hours.