ASTM D7954/D7954M-15
(Practice)Standard Practice for Moisture Surveying of Roofing and Waterproofing Systems Using Non-Destructive Electrical Impedance Scanners
Standard Practice for Moisture Surveying of Roofing and Waterproofing Systems Using Non-Destructive Electrical Impedance Scanners
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 Excess moisture trapped in roofing or waterproofing systems can adversely affect performance and lead to premature failure of roofing or waterproofing systems and its components. It also reduces thermal resistance, resulting in reduced energy efficiency and inflated energy costs. Impedance scans can be effective in identifying concealed and entrapped moisture within roofing or waterproofing systems.
5.2 This practice is intended to be used at various stages of the roofing and waterproofing system’s life such as: completion of installation of roofing system to determine if there was moisture intrusion into the roofing system or materials for quality control purposes, at regular intervals as part of a preventative maintenance program, and before re-roofing or repair work to assist in determining the extent of work and replacement materials.
5.3 This practice alone does not determine the cause of moisture infiltration into roofing or waterproofing systems; however, it can be used to help tracing excess moisture to the point of ingress.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice applies to techniques that use non-destructive electrical impedance (EI) scanners to locate moisture and evaluate the comparitive moisture content within insulated low-slope roofing and waterproofing systems.
1.2 This practice is applicable to roofing and waterproofing systems wherein insulation is placed above the deck and positioned underneath and in contact with electrically nonconductive single-ply or built-up roofing and waterproofing membranes and systems such as coal tar, asphalt, modified bitumen, thermoplastics, spray polyurethane foam, and similar electrically non-conductive membrane materials. This practice is also applicable to roofing and waterproofing systems without insulation placed above moisture absorbing decks such as wood, concrete, or gypsum, that are in contact with single-ply or built-up roofing and waterproofing membranes as described above.
1.3 This practice is applicable to roofing and waterproofing systems incorporating electrically nonconductive rigid board insulation made from materials such as organic fibers, perlite, cork, fiberglass, wood-fiber, polyisocyanurate, polystyrene, phenolic foam, composite boards, gypsum substrate boards, and other electrically nonconductive roofing and waterproofing systems such as spray-applied polyurethane foam.
1.4 This practice is not appropriate for all combinations of materials used in roofing and waterproofing systems.
1.4.1 Metal and other electrically conductive surface coverings and near-surface embedded metallic components are not suitable for surveying with impedance scanners because of the electrical conductivity of these materials.
1.4.2 Black ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM) produces false positive readings when tested because of the material’s high dielectric constant.
1.4.3 Aluminum foil on top-faced insulation, roofing, or waterproofing membranes gives a false positive reading and is not suitable for surveying with impedance scanners; however, liquid-applied aluminum pigmented emulsified asphalt-based coatings shall not normally affect impedance scanner readings.
1.4.4 See A1.4 for some cautionary notes on roofing anomalies and limitations that affect the impedance test practice.
1.5 Moisture scanners using impedance based technology are classified as EI scanners.
Note 1: The term capacitance is sometimes used when describing impedance scanners. Capacitance scanners are purely capacitive as they do not have a resistive component. Impedance scanners combine both capacitance and resistance for testing; thus, they are well suited to the measurement of different types of materials and constructions found in roofing and waterproofing systems as the combination of both components allows for a more versatile testing, calibration, and measurement arrangement.
1.6 This practice also addresses necessary verification of impe...
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Designation:D7954/D7954M −15
StandardPractice for
Moisture Surveying of Roofing and Waterproofing Systems
1
Using Non-Destructive Electrical Impedance Scanners
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D7954/D7954M; the number immediately following the designation indicates the
year of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last
reapproval. A superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope not suitable for surveying with impedance scanners; however,
liquid-applied aluminum pigmented emulsified asphalt-based
1.1 This practice applies to techniques that use non-
coatings shall not normally affect impedance scanner readings.
destructive electrical impedance (EI) scanners to locate mois-
1.4.4 SeeA1.4forsomecautionarynotesonroofinganoma-
ture and evaluate the comparitive moisture content within
lies and limitations that affect the impedance test practice.
insulated low-slope roofing and waterproofing systems.
1.5 Moisture scanners using impedance based technology
1.2 This practice is applicable to roofing and waterproofing
are classified as EI scanners.
systems wherein insulation is placed above the deck and
positioned underneath and in contact with electrically noncon-
NOTE 1—The term capacitance is sometimes used when describing
impedance scanners. Capacitance scanners are purely capacitive as they
ductive single-ply or built-up roofing and waterproofing mem-
do not have a resistive component. Impedance scanners combine both
branes and systems such as coal tar, asphalt, modified bitumen,
capacitance and resistance for testing; thus, they are well suited to the
thermoplastics, spray polyurethane foam, and similar electri-
measurement of different types of materials and constructions found in
cally non-conductive membrane materials.This practice is also
roofingandwaterproofingsystemsasthecombinationofbothcomponents
applicable to roofing and waterproofing systems without insu- allows for a more versatile testing, calibration, and measurement arrange-
ment.
lation placed above moisture absorbing decks such as wood,
concrete, or gypsum, that are in contact with single-ply or
1.6 This practice also addresses necessary verification of
built-up roofing and waterproofing membranes as described
impedance data involving invasive test procedures using core
above.
samples.
1.3 This practice is applicable to roofing and waterproofing
1.7 This practice addresses two generally accepted scanning
systems incorporating electrically nonconductive rigid board
techniques for conducting moisture surveys using electrical
insulation made from materials such as organic fibers, perlite,
impedance scanners:
cork, fiberglass, wood-fiber, polyisocyanurate, polystyrene,
1.7.1 Technique A—Continuous systematic scanning and
phenolic foam, composite boards, gypsum substrate boards,
recording (see 8.2), and
andotherelectricallynonconductiveroofingandwaterproofing
1.7.2 Technique B—Grid format scanning and recording
systems such as spray-applied polyurethane foam.
(see 8.3).
1.4 This practice is not appropriate for all combinations of
1.8 This practice addresses some meteorological conditions
materials used in roofing and waterproofing systems.
and limitations for performing impedance inspections.
1.4.1 Metal and other electrically conductive surface cover-
1.9 This practice addresses the effect of the roofing or
ings and near-surface embedded metallic components are not
waterproofing construction, material differences, and exterior
suitable for surveying with impedance scanners because of the
surface conditions on the moisture inspections.
electrical conductivity of these materials.
1.10 This practice addresses operating procedures, operator
1.4.2 Black ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM)
qualifications, operating methods, scanning, surveying, and
produces false positive readings when tested because of the
recording techniques.
material’s high dielectric constant.
1.4.3 Aluminum foil on top-faced insulation, roofing, or
1.11 Units—The values stated in either SI units or inch-
waterproofing membranes gives a false positive reading and is
pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The
values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents;
therefore,eachsystemshallbeusedindependentlyoftheother.
1
ThispracticeisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeD08onRoofingand
Combining values from the two systems may result in non-
Waterproofing and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D08.20 on Roofing
Membrane Systems.
conformance with the standard.
Current edition approved Feb. 15, 2015. Published March 2015. Originally
1.12 This standard does not purport to address all of the
approved in 2014. Last previous edition approved in 2014 as D7954/D7954M – 14.
DOI: 10.
...
This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: D7954/D7954M − 14 D7954/D7954M − 15
Standard Practice for
Moisture Surveying of Roofing and Waterproofing Systems
1
Using Non-Destructive Electrical Impedance Scanners
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D7954/D7954M; the number immediately following the designation indicates the
year of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last
reapproval. A superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This practice applies to techniques that use non-destructive electrical impedance (EI) scanners to locate moisture and
evaluate the comparitive moisture content within insulated low-slope roofing and waterproofing systems.
1.2 This practice is applicable to roofing and waterproofing systems wherein insulation is placed above the deck and positioned
underneath and in contact with electrically nonconductive single-ply or built-up roofing and waterproofing membranes and systems
such as coal tar, asphalt, modified bitumen, thermoplastics, spray polyurethane foam, and similar electrically nonconductivenon-
conductive membrane materials. This practice is also applicable to roofing and waterproofing systems without insulation placed
above moisture absorbing decks such as wood, concrete, or gypsum, that are in contact with single-ply or built-up roofing and
waterproofing membranes as described above.
1.3 This practice is applicable to roofing and waterproofing systems incorporating electrically nonconductive rigid board
insulation made from materials such as organic fibers, perlite, cork, fiberglass, wood-fiber, polyisocyanurate, polystyrene, phenolic
foam, composite boards, gypsum substrate boards, and other electrically nonconductive roofing and waterproofing systems such
as spray-applied polyurethane foam.
1.4 This practice is not appropriate for all combinations of materials used in roofing and waterproofing systems.
1.4.1 Metal and other electrically conductive surface coverings and near-surface embedded metallic components are not suitable
for surveying with impedance scanners because of the electrical conductivity of these materials.
1.4.2 This practice is not appropriate for use with Black EPDM membranes or coatings because of its high dielectric content
and will give false positives.Black ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM) produces false positive readings when tested
because of the material’s high dielectric constant.
1.4.3 Aluminum foil on top-faced insulation, roofing, or waterproofing membranes gives a false positive reading and is not
suitable for surveying with impedance scanners; however, liquid-applied aluminum pigmented emulsified asphalt-based coatings
shall not normally affect impedance scanner readings.
1.4.4 See A1.4 for some cautionary notes on roofing anomalies and limitations that affect the impedance test practice.
1.5 Moisture scanners using impedance based technology are classified as EI scanners.
NOTE 1—The term capacitance is sometimes used when describing impedance scanners. Capacitance scanners are purely capacitive as they do not have
a resistive component. Impedance scanners combine both capacitance and resistance for testing; thus, they are well suited to the measurement of different
types of materials and constructions found in roofing and waterproofing systems as the combination of both components allows for a more versatile
testing, calibration, and measurement arrangement.
1.6 This practice also addresses necessary verification of impedance data involving invasive test procedures using core samples.
1.7 This practice addresses two generally accepted scanning techniques for conducting moisture surveys using electrical
impedance scanners:
1.7.1 Technique A—Continuous systematic scanning and recording (see 8.2), and
1.7.2 Technique B—Grid format scanning and recording (see 8.3).
1.8 This practice addresses some meteorological conditions and limitations for performing impedance inspections.
1.9 This practice addresses the effect of the roofing or waterproofing construction, material differences, and exterior surface
conditions on the moisture inspections.
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D08 on Roofing and Waterproofing and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D08.20 on Roofing
Membrane Systems.
Current edition approved July 15, 2014Feb. 15, 2015. Published August 2014March 2015. Originally approved in 2014. Last previous edition approved in 2014 as
D7954/D7954M – 14. DOI: 10.1520/D7954_D7
...
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