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Check for a water leak
A hidden water leak can waste thousands of gallons and drive up your monthly bill before you ever notice it.
A leak as small as 1/16 of an inch can waste over 24,000 gallons a month. Even a dripping faucet adds up — about 3 gallons a day, or more than 1,000 gallons a year. Here’s how to find out if your home has one.
STEP 1:Turn off everything that uses water.
Before you begin, make sure every faucet, appliance, and fixture in your home is completely off. This includes ice makers, washing machines, irrigation systems, and any outdoor hose bibs.
STEP 2: Find the low-flow detector on your meter
Your water meter is one of the most reliable tools for detecting a hidden leak.
a. Find the meter. It’s usually located in a rectangular box in the easement near the street. Use caution when opening the lid — meter boxes can be home to insects, spiders, frogs, and occasionally snakes. Once open, wipe the face of the meter clean if needed.
b. Locate the low-flow detector. Meters are either analog or digital. The method for checking for a leak is slightly different for each.
c. Watch for movement. With all water turned off, the low-flow detector should be completely still. Any movement indicates a leak. The faster it moves, the larger the leak.
ANALOG METERS
Analog meters have a mechanical dial face with a small triangle or star-shaped indicator — sometimes red, sometimes black — that spins whenever water is moving through the line. It may be at the center of the dial or near the numerical display, depending on the model. With all water off, this indicator should be completely still. Any movement means water is flowing somewhere.
DIGITAL (SMART) METERS
Digital (smart) meters have an LCD screen that cycles through multiple displays. To advance the screen, lightly touch the optical communication port — the small round sensor on the front face of the meter. Cycle through until you reach the Rate of Flow screen, which displays current water usage in gallons per minute (gpm). With all water off, this screen should read 0.00 gpm. Any reading above zero indicates a leak. The higher the number, the larger the leak — a leaking toilet, for example, typically registers between 0.08 and 0.8 gpm.
Step 3: Find the source
The most common sources of household leaks are toilets, faucets, and sprinkler systems. Before calling a plumber, try these checks:
- Toilet: Add a few drops of food coloring to the toilet tank. Wait a few minutes without flushing. If color appears in the bowl, the flapper is leaking and likely needs to be replaced.
- Faucets: Check every faucet for dripping. Even a slow drip adds up quickly.
- Supply line or sprinkler system: Walk the path from your meter to your home. Look for ground that feels squishy underfoot or grass that is unusually green — both can indicate an underground leak.
Small repairs like a toilet flapper or faucet washer are often simple DIY fixes. For anything more involved, contact a licensed plumber.
If your meter shows movement but you can’t locate the source, call us at 281-367-5511. We’re happy to help.