ASTM D7954/D7954M-22a

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: during or at completion of installation of roofing or waterproofing system to determine if there was moisture intrusion into the roofing or waterproofing system or underlying materials; at regular intervals as part of a preventative maintenance program; and to aid in condition assessment, or before replacement or repair work, or combinations thereof, 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 nondestructive electrical impedance (EI) scanners to locate moisture and evaluate the comparative 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 nonconductive 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, any membranes containing black EPDM, or black EPDM coatings because black EPDM gives false positive readings. 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. 1.4.3.1 This practice is not appropriate for use with aluminium foil faced modified bitumen membranes, as the electrical conductivity of the aluminium foil surface can give false positive readings. 1.4.4 While their overburden remains in place, this practice is not appropriate for use with inverted roof membrane assemblies (IRMAs) or protected roof assemblies (PRMAs), which contain above the deck waterproof membrane and overburden that may include insulation, drainage components, pavers, aggregate, ballast, vegetation, or combinations thereof, because the impedance scanner will not differentiate between above and below the membrane moisture. 1.4.5 S...