The moisture meter on a Castle Hill building and pest inspection
Paint can look perfect over a wet wall. A reading tells you what the eye cannot.
In short: Behind a shower screen in a Castle Hill home, the paint looked fine and the meter said otherwise. Moisture is both a building defect and a termite attractant.
The reading that changed the report
During a Castle Hill building and pest inspection in August 2026, readings at the base of the wall behind the master ensuite shower screen came back high. Nothing on the surface suggested a problem.
Why it matters twice
A wet wall can mean a failed membrane or a plumbing leak, which is a building issue. It also softens timber and draws termites, which is a pest issue. That is why the two inspections work best together.
Other places we test
Under windows where staining shows, ceilings below bathrooms, laundry door bases and around baths that move when pressed.
What a reading can and cannot prove
A moisture meter shows that a surface is damp. It does not say why. The report recommends who should find the source, usually a licensed waterproofer or plumber.
What to do as a buyer
Treat high readings near wet areas as a cost to investigate before exchange, not after settlement.
Written by our local inspection team from work carried out in Castle Hill. Licensed building practitioners, NSW Fair Trading licence 366177C.
