How to inspect floor for water damage?

[SYC2Vette]

We discovered half way through a 6 week maiden trip that the drain pipe going to the gray water tank from the kitchen sink on our 2017 Bambi FC 20FB had popped out of the "hose" connection where it passes thru the floor. I forced it back in place with a piece of wood jammed in place as a temporary fix as there was no way to reach the hose clamp without disassembling some cabinetry. This worked fine.

Water had been occasionally pooling in front of the refrigerator up to the point of discovering the source.

Prior to our trip, the AS had only been used for a very brief time by PO who moved up in size when he decided to go fulltime (literally a week of camping). So I don't think it has seen a large amount of water exposure.

I do however feel that the floor near that area seems to "give" a little bit when walking heavily (like if I press hard with a boot heel). Sort of feels like there is a crossmember support and if you move away from that it gives a bit.

Short of peeling up the floor covering is there any way to check the floor for water damage?

[Al and Missy]

Depending on the floor covering, you can get a pin penetration moisture meter pretty inexpensively. Harbor Freight even has one. The pins are built into the end of the meter so it can be difficult to use and read at floor level. I bought one on Amazon that has the pins at the end of a coiled cable for around $20. You just push the pins through the flooring to the subfloor in an inconspicuous place and read the meter.

You can test a known dry piece of plywood first and compare the reading to what you get in suspected soft spots.

Beware of carpet. The pad and carpet will hold water for weeks or even months. That said, when I had a leak that soaked the carpet in my rear storage areas in October due to a Fantastic Vent not being closed in a rain storm (which I detected and closed in a couple of days) the subfloor was not damaged even after having wet carpet and pad on it until January.

I will tell you that I get a very slight "soft" feeling over my axles but I am convinced it is just the suspension giving a little. If your suspicious place is near the axles, put a jack under the axle bracket (not the axle tube) and see if the soft feeling is still there.

Al

[SYC2Vette]

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

Depending on the floor covering, you can get a pin penetration moisture meter pretty inexpensively. Harbor Freight even has one. The pins are built into the end of the meter so it can be difficult to use and read at floor level. I bought one on Amazon that has the pins at the end of a coiled cable for around $20. You just push the pins through the flooring to the subfloor in an inconspicuous place and read the meter.

You can test a known dry piece of plywood first and compare the reading to what you get in suspected soft spots.

Al

Thanks! Quite a range in prices for the meters on Amazon. Will have it tomorrow.

[SYC2Vette]

Looks like the moisture level is pretty much the same typically 7.2% throughout, and 8.2% near where the water was puddling from the drain leak. The highest reading was at the corner near the shower where water occasionally drips when the accordion door is closed and that was 11.2%. I measured some plywood that has been sitting in our garage for a while and it reads 7% to 11% so based on that seems we are fine.

[Tom_Cooper]

If the massive floor is exposed to very humid air for even several days, the “wave” effect may be observed - the edges of the plank rise and the center of the plank is below its edges. The same effect can be observed when the floor is filled with water, which does not clean up in time and manages to be absorbed into the floor. With a decrease in atmospheric humidity, the parquet planks straighten, although this happens much more slowly.
This is the first bell

[Allen Arin]

Dry rot occurs when your wood has rotted out. There may not
be any signs of the water damage that produced it, but if it’s there, it’s a
real problem.There are products like Git-Rot® RX,
designed specifically to tackle this problem.

Preventing future rotting problems: One of the best ways to ensure that you never have to deal
with dry rot and RV water damage floor repair? Nip it in the bud. Use an End GrainSealer on any relevant wood in your flooring—and even the surrounding areas of your RV. This is a fast curing preventative that works well and doesn’t
require constant reapplication. That means you get to start enjoying your RV
again as soon as possible.