Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - How to interpret moisture meter reading

Ok, the posts on the site convinced me to get a moisture meter. I got an inexpensive one - about $40, but it should tell me what I need for one time use.

But here is my problem...

The instructions say to stick the pins in about 1/8 or 1/4 of an inch.

So, on my sub floor I got them in nice and deep - about 1/4". But, when I go in about 1/8 i get a reading of 8. When I go in a full 1/4 I get 10.

For my oak, I can barely get them in, maybe 3/32. MAYBE 1/8 but, I get a reading of 6.

Do these seem accurate? There is one spotof my subfloor where a leak revealed itself after a hard rain the other day, and the reading in that spot was 12, so I am inclined to think the meter is accurate.

But, if i go in different depths, and get different readings at different depths - how do I make my decision that I am ready?

What is underneath the subfloor? Crawl space?

Got that leak fixed? :)

Beneath the subfloor is a full basement (7 feet ceilings if you call that full). It is not heated and has 4 windows. It is not perfectly sealed... I never got to that because it is a last priority, so its a bit drafty donwn there.

Is this a problem?

I think I have the leak fixed now... fortunatley its pouring again today so I can check to make sure.

Im assuming that becuas the water only hit a small area (about 1x1 fooot area that was wet) Im ok.

Im looking to lay the floor on Sat and Sun coming up. I THINK the numbers seem ok. What do you think?

Get your trusty hygrometer and take readings in the basement, and then take readings in the interior where the installation is taking place.

What your meter is reading as you go deeper is the Moisture Content of the wood increasing as it gets deeper. This tells us the underside of the subfloor is wetter then the top. Usually a humidity imbalance from top level and basement or crawl space level.

This is the kind of stuff that leads to a badly cupped floor.

how do i remedy this? heat the basement?

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ok, I just took readings again.
The oak is so hard its tough to get a reading but when I do its consistently 6.

The subfloor shows me 8s and some 10s depending on depth and random location.

I also checked the subfloor from the basement and I get the same thing - mostly 8s.

The basement is cold, but maybe its not humid. Possible?

Also, one more thing, this whole extension has been sitting about one year now (without the oak in it). So it did go through an entire winter and an entire summer. Does that factor in?

Your within 4% as is required and if readings are consistent underneath in the basement, you should be good to go.

During the summer, you may need a dehumidifier going constantly in the basement.

Basements with windows, can get a greenhouse effect from all the moisture available in the surrounding soil of the basement.

So the actual temperature of the basement is less important (not important?) vs. the humidity factor? There are a couple of gaps where plate meets foundation that allows the cold air in.

I will put heat in this basement - at least just one convenctor on the same zone - just not until I can get all of this other stuff out of the way.

Someday, when that time comes, that will certainly draw more humidity out but as long as I start out within the correct range - Im good?