High water bill? How to check for a hidden leak

First rule out the obvious, like summer watering, filling a pool, houseguests, or a billing period that ran a few days long. If none of that explains it, turn off everything in the house that uses water and watch your water meter. If the meter or its small leak indicator moves while nothing’s running, water is going somewhere. A toilet that runs without you noticing is one of the most common culprits.

Is it a leak, or just a big month?

Pull up your usage history if your bill shows it and compare this month to the same month last year. A hot, dry Alabama summer with the sprinklers running can push your usage way up without anything being wrong. So can topping off a pool, a houseful of company over the holidays, or the kids being home all summer.

If the jump lines up with something you did, it’s probably not a leak. If your usage climbed in a month when nothing changed, keep going.

How do you do a meter test?

1. Turn off everything that uses water. That means faucets, showers, the dishwasher, the washing machine, the ice maker and the sprinkler system. No flushing during the test.
2. Find the meter. It’s usually in a box near the street or the property line, under a concrete or plastic lid. Lift the lid carefully, because bugs love those boxes.
3. Look for the leak indicator. On most dial meters it’s a small triangle, star or wheel that spins whenever any water flows through. If it’s turning with everything off, you’ve found your answer. Newer digital meters may show a flow reading or a leak symbol instead.
4. Write down the full reading, or take a picture.
5. Wait an hour or two without using any water. Reading it at bedtime and again first thing in the morning works too.
6. Read it again. If the number moved, water is leaking somewhere.

Is the leak in the house or in the yard?

Close the main shutoff at the house. If you’re not sure where it is, here’s how to find it. Then check the meter again.

If the meter stops, the leak is inside the house. If it keeps moving with the house valve closed, the leak is probably in the service line, the underground pipe from the meter to your house. One catch: an old gate valve sometimes doesn’t close all the way, so a meter that creeps along slowly with the valve shut doesn’t prove anything by itself.

In Huntsville, the utility’s responsibility ends at the meter. The line from the meter to the house belongs to the homeowner, and so does fixing it. Other cities around here usually work about the same way, but check with your utility.

Signs the service line is leaking:

• A soggy strip or wet spot in the yard between the meter and the house, even when it hasn’t rained
• A patch of grass that’s greener or grows faster than the rest
• Water pooling around the meter box while the leak indicator spins
• Water pressure in the house that’s dropped off

Where should you look inside?

Start with the toilets. Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank, not the bowl, and wait about 15 minutes without flushing. If color shows up in the bowl, the flapper is leaking. A flapper is a cheap part and usually an easy swap. Here’s how to fix a running toilet. Flush afterward so the dye doesn’t stain.

Then walk around the outside of the house. Check each spigot for drips and look for a broken sprinkler head or a zone that won’t shut off. Irrigation leaks are easy to miss because the water goes straight into the ground.

Find the pipe that runs from the relief valve on your water heater, usually down toward the floor or out through a wall. If it’s dripping or the end of it is wet, water is leaving the tank. Don’t cap it. That valve opens for a reason, and a relief valve that keeps dripping needs a plumber to figure out why.

Could it be a slab leak?

If your house is on a slab and the meter says you’ve got a leak you can’t find, a pipe under the floor may be the problem. The signs are usually subtle at first:

• A warm spot on the floor, which usually points to a leak on a hot water line
• The sound of running water when everything’s off
• New cracks in the floor, or flooring that’s damp, buckling or smells musty
• A water heater that seems to run more than it used to

Pinning down a slab leak takes listening equipment and some experience. That’s a good point to call a plumber.

Will the utility adjust the bill?

Maybe. Huntsville Utilities has a leak-adjustment policy that can apply to a hidden, underground or concealed leak. It doesn’t cover leaks you could have seen or heard, like a running toilet. The details and limits change, so call Huntsville Utilities and ask before you count on anything. If you’re with another utility, ask them the same question.

Whoever your utility is, ask what they need from you, and keep every receipt from the repair.