Plumbing notes · when the bill jumps

A do-it-yourself meter test for concealed leaks

Your water meter keeps honest books. Leave every fixture idle and its register ought to freeze in place; a creeping dial says otherwise.

Call (365) 517-8536

Person holding blue and silver hand tool — From the almanac guide on meter test for hidden leaks.

The test

Shut every faucet and stop every appliance.
Write down the register or watch the small leak-indicator wheel.
Wait half an hour without using any water.
Read it again; a changed number is your leak.
Close toilet stops and appliance valves one by one to narrow it.

Usual suspects

Running toilets
Fridge ice-maker lines
Softeners stuck in regeneration
Outside taps
Slab or buried service leaks

One more thing

Most residential meters in Halton have a small triangular or star-shaped low-flow indicator that spins with even a tiny flow. If it turns with everything off, something is leaking. Watching that dial for a couple of minutes is often enough.

If the test shows a leak, start with the toilets. Close each toilet’s stop valve and watch the indicator. If it stops, that toilet is the culprit. Then move on to the fridge, softener, humidifier and any outdoor taps.

If none of those stop the dial, the leak may be in the supply piping itself, possibly under a slab or in a wall. That is when a professional leak search, with moisture meters and listening equipment, becomes worthwhile.

Keep a dated note of each reading. Comparing them month to month builds a picture of normal use, so a sudden jump stands out right away.