Stormdry Masonry Absorption Gauge
The Stormdry Gauge (also known as a Karsten tube or Rilem tube) is a simple and economical tool to assist in diagnosing rain penetration problems in walls.
Many defects in masonry that allow the passage of water such as small cracks and porous mortar, brick, and stone, are difficult to identify by visual examination alone. By using a Stormdry Gauge the water absorption characteristics of a small test area of wall can be monitored over time (typically up to one hour) and the results compared with those found on other areas of the wall. This allows the surveyor to build up a picture of where rain penetration is most likely to be occurring – for example through porous bricks, through small cracks at the brick-mortar interface, or through a particularly permeable type of mortar.
The Masonry Absorption Test
The Stormdry Masonry Gauge can be purchased individually or as part of the Stormdry Test Kit, both of which can be bought directly from Safeguard. The test kit contains four Stormdry gauges together with mastic adhesive and a water bottle. A sample tube of Stormdry Masonry Protection Cream and a brush are also included.
To use the Stormdry Masonry Gauge, simply fix it to a masonry surface using the supplied mastic adhesive, then fill it with water to the “zero” mark. The water will then begin to penetrate into the substrate. Record the level of water remaining inside of the gauge at regular intervals by plotting the readings onto a blank masonry absorption graph. This experiment can be repeated elsewhere on the wall to increase the accuracy of the results.
Detailed usage guidelines for the Stormdry Masonry Gauge can be downloaded free of charge in PDF format by clicking on the ‘Downloads’ tab at the top of this page.