An undiscovered leak can lead to a significant increase in your water bill and severe damage to your home. Sometimes leaks can be obvious while others are much more challenging. Learn how to detect a water leak in your home and put a stop to high costs and irreparable damage.

Now that you've found your water meter turn off all the water in your home. Shut off faucets and make sure the appliances like dishwashers and washing machines are not running. Next, check the meter to see if it's moving. If it is, it's likely you have a significant leak. If the meter doesn't change immediately, wait an hour or two and come back to check it again. If it has changed in this period of time with the water off, you could be dealing with a smaller leak.
The problem now is that the leak could be anywhere after the meter or even underground. To determine whether the leak is inside or outside, simply turn off the main water valve and check the meter again. If the meter stops moving or doesn't change, you have a leak inside the house. If the leak indicator continues to move or there is a change in the readings, then the leak is outside between the meter and the house.
If you are unable to locate and detect the water leak, call Leak Science and we'll come out and provide water leak detection services.
Related Topic: Leak Detection Company VS Plumber - Who You Should Call
It's important to remember that there are typically 100s of feet of pipes in the shape of a maze underneath your home, and you may never be able to detect leaks in this part of your system, but will always pay for them. It's best to have a professional water leak detection company conduct a comprehensive inspection of all of your pipes. This way, anything needing immediate attention can be handled promptly, and you will understand the health of your piping system.
Related Topic: Water Sensors - How They Can Help Detect Water Leaks

1. Check Your Water Meter
A great place to start when determining if you have a water leak is by checking your water meter. Water meters are located in various places. Yours is likely outside in a concrete or fiberglass box, often marked "water."Now that you've found your water meter turn off all the water in your home. Shut off faucets and make sure the appliances like dishwashers and washing machines are not running. Next, check the meter to see if it's moving. If it is, it's likely you have a significant leak. If the meter doesn't change immediately, wait an hour or two and come back to check it again. If it has changed in this period of time with the water off, you could be dealing with a smaller leak.
The problem now is that the leak could be anywhere after the meter or even underground. To determine whether the leak is inside or outside, simply turn off the main water valve and check the meter again. If the meter stops moving or doesn't change, you have a leak inside the house. If the leak indicator continues to move or there is a change in the readings, then the leak is outside between the meter and the house.
If you are unable to locate and detect the water leak, call Leak Science and we'll come out and provide water leak detection services.
Related Topic: Leak Detection Company VS Plumber - Who You Should Call
2. Monitor Your Bill
If your bill has significantly increased, but your water usage habits haven't changed, this could mean you have a leak. Gather a few bills from the recent past few months and compare them to see if there is indeed a steady increase. Your water bill should remain within the same range from month to month. An even better test is comparing the same month a year earlier as it takes out seasonal fluctuations from the comparison.It's important to remember that there are typically 100s of feet of pipes in the shape of a maze underneath your home, and you may never be able to detect leaks in this part of your system, but will always pay for them. It's best to have a professional water leak detection company conduct a comprehensive inspection of all of your pipes. This way, anything needing immediate attention can be handled promptly, and you will understand the health of your piping system.
3. Examine The Toilets In Your Home
Toilets can account for up to 30% of a home's water use, so it's important to check to see if they are running properly. To test for a leak, add a few drops of food coloring into your toilet tank and wait 30 minutes without flushing the toilet. If the food coloring shows up in the bowl, the problem is most often a worn-out flapper valve. However, a bad flush handle may also be the accused. If you think the flush handle may be the problem, try tightening the nut securing it to the side of the tank, or adjusting the length of the chain so it's not too tight or too loose. With a flapper valve, you'll most often hear water running continuously if it's not sealing properly.Related Topic: Water Sensors - How They Can Help Detect Water Leaks