<p><strong>Most people think moisture problems in concrete come from below the slab. </strong>Concrete Bob Higgins explains why that assumption keeps blowing up floors.<br /><br />In this episode, Bob Higgins breaks down how moisture <em>actually</em> moves through concrete, why liquid water and water vapor are not the same thing, and how alkalinity quietly does more damage than most people realize. We also get into why common moisture testing methods are misused, why surface damage matters more than deep readings, and how outdated standards keep throwing contractors under the bus.<br /><br />If you’ve ever wondered why floors fail even when the numbers “look fine,” this one connects the dots.<br /><strong><br />What You’ll Learn</strong><br />·&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Why moisture in concrete is not just “moisture”<br />·&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The difference between liquid water, water vapor, and chemically bound moisture<br />·&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Why relative humidity testing is often misunderstood — and misapplied<br />·&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;How alkalinity concentrates at the surface and drives real damage<br />·&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Why many moisture problems come from the <em>top</em>, not the soil<br />·&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;What self-desiccation is and why you can’t fix it once it happens<br />·&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;How material changes in cement quietly broke old assumptions<br />·&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Why contractors keep getting blamed for problems they didn’t cause<br /> <br /><strong><br />Chapters</strong><br />00:00 – Why Moisture in Concrete Is Misunderstood<br /> 01:15 – The Different Forms of Moisture That Matter<br /> 03:30 – Why the Center of Concrete Often Doesn’t Dry<br /> 06:40 – The Problem With RH Probes and Surface Damage<br /> 10:30 – Why Cement Chemistry Changed the Rules<br /> 12:30 – What Alkalinity Really Is (and Why pH Misses the Point)<br /> 15:45 – Why New Cements Can Self-Desiccate<br /> 18:45 – Irreversible Damage From Heat and Chemistry<br /> 21:45 – Vapor Barriers, Curling, and Old Assumptions<br /> 24:30 – Why Most Moisture Comes From the Surface<br /> 28:45 – The Stack Effect Explained<br /> 31:30 – Why RH Numbers Don’t Match Real Failures<br /> 35:45 – What Needs to Change Going Forward<br /> 39:20 – Final Thoughts<br /><strong><br /><br />Guest Info</strong><br /><strong>Name:</strong> Bob Higgins<br /> <strong>Email:</strong> [email protected]<br /> <strong>Webpage:</strong> <a href="https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/guests/robert-higgins/" target="_blank">https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/guests/robert-higgins/<br /></a><br /><strong>Intelligent Concrete<br /></strong>Concrete not behaving the way it should?<br /><br />At Intelligent Concrete, Dr. Jon Belkowitz and his team combine lab-level testing with real-world field experience to get to the root of performance issues, not just the symptoms.<br /><br />If you want data you can trust and answers you can use, learn more at <a href="https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/intelligent-concrete" target="_blank">https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/intelligent-concrete</a><br /><strong><br />Concrete Logic Academy</strong><br />Earn PDHs in the same straight-talk format as the podcast:<br /><a href="https://www.concretelogicacademy.com" target="_blank">https://www.concretelogicacademy.com</a><br /><strong><br />Support the Podcast</strong><br />Support the show directly:<br /><a href="https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/donate" target="_blank">https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/donate</a><br />KUIU helps support the podcast:<br /><a href="https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/kuiu" target="_blank">https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/kuiu</a><br />Media, sponsorship, or content inquiries:<br />[email protected]<br /><strong><br />Credits</strong><br />Producer: Frank Stankunas, Jodi Tandett &amp; Concrete Logic Media<br /> Music by Mike Dunton: <a href="https://www.mdunton.com/" target="_blank">https://www.mdunton.com/</a><br /><strong><br />Where to Find Seth</strong><br />Seth Tandett — concrete nerd and host of the Concrete Logic Podcast.<br />LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-tandett/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-tandett/</a><br /> YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@concretelogicpodcast" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/@concretelogicpodcast</a><br /> Podcast Website: <a href="https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com" target="_blank">https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com</a></p>