Environmental Test & Measurement

Among the leading brands in environmental measurement technology are Hanna Instruments, Oregon, Testo, FLIR, Kern, and Rotronic Instruments.

What conditions can environmental measurement tools read accurately?

Hygrometers measure both ambient temperature and the levels of airborne water vapour - otherwise known as humidity - in the immediate vicinity.

• They're primarily used in monitoring and testing of HVAC systems and climate-control environments, such as offices.
• In addition to an LCD screen for readouts, advanced models might offer data logging, wet bulb temperature or dew point tracking features.

Weather stations can closely track, collect data, and typically provide alerts/warnings for a highly diverse range of climate and atmospheric conditions.

• More basic models will measure temperature, humidity and atmospheric (barometric) pressure, and will often provide alarms or alerts that can be set to trigger when the device detects a pressure drop. This can be set to show, say, increased likelihood of rain and wind, or proximity to a defined temperature threshold.
• More advanced professional weather station sets may also include sensors for detecting and displaying many other conditions, including wind direction and speed, solar radiation, moon phases, dew point and rainfall levels.

Moisture meters, sometimes called damp meters, give accurate readings of moisture levels contained within many building materials (typically wood, concrete, brick, plasterboard and more).

• This is important for detecting early signs of water damage in buildings and structures, helping to alert you to the need for repairs before the problem worsens.
• It's also useful for determining when various building materials or locations are in optimal condition for work, such as when laying screed or checking the moisture content of timber for furniture and flooring.