Leak Detection
Find a hidden leak behind a wall, under a floor or between the meter and the house.
Plumbing guide
Why Is My Water Bill So High? 8 Causes to Check First
A bill that jumps is either more use or a leak. Work through these eight causes in order and you will usually find the answer without paying for a diagnosis.
By the Urban Comfort Plumbing team ·
First, read the bill and the meter
Leaks are a common cause: EPA's WaterSense program estimates that the average household's leaks waste more than 9,300 gallons a year. Look at the usage figure on the bill, not just the total. Compare it with the same month last year and with the previous month. A bill that rises slowly over time points to a growing leak or changing use. A sudden jump points to something that started recently.
Then check the meter. With all water off, a moving leak indicator means water is flowing somewhere. If the meter is still, the extra use came from actual use in the house. If it moves, one of the next causes is likely, and the steps in this list tell you where to look.
1 and 2: Toilets and irrigation
A toilet with a worn flapper can lose hundreds of gallons a month and make little noise. Drop food coloring into the tank and see whether color reaches the bowl without a flush. A running toilet is covered in toilet repair.
Irrigation is the next suspect, especially in a warm climate. A zone that runs too long, a broken sprinkler head, a stuck valve or a timer set to the wrong days can add thousands of gallons a month. Check the controller and walk the yard while the system runs, looking for geysers and soggy ground.
3 and 4: Hidden leaks and the service line
A pressurized leak inside a wall, ceiling or under the floor uses water around the clock. Stains, damp spots and a musty smell are clues. The meter test points to it, and leak detection finds the location.
A leak on the line between the meter and the house is easy to miss. It can show up as a patch of lawn that stays wet, a soft spot or a drop in pressure. If the meter keeps moving after you close the main valve at the house, the leak is outside. See water line repair.
5 and 6: Slab leaks and the water heater
Many homes sit on a concrete slab with water lines running beneath. A slab leak can run for months. Warm floors, the sound of water, and a steady bill increase are signs. See slab leak detection for what the repair involves.
A water heater can leak slowly at the base, from the relief valve or from fittings. It may also use extra water if the relief valve is dripping. Look at the floor under the tank, and see water heater repair if the base is wet.
7 and 8: Pools and plain extra use
A leaking pool, or an autofill valve that is stuck open, drives up the bill. The bucket test, which compares your pool with a bucket on the step, and pool leak detection, help sort it out.
Last, check ordinary use. Houseguests, a new baby, a visiting relative, filling a pool, washing cars or running a sprinkler more in a dry month all raise use. Seasonal swings are real, and summer bills are often the highest. If the meter is still and use matches the household, the bill may simply reflect real use.
How to read your meter
Most residential meters have a dial or a digital register that counts total use, usually in gallons or cubic feet. Check which unit the bill uses. Some meters also have a small low-flow indicator, a triangle, a star or a tiny wheel that spins at the slightest flow. That is the one to watch.
To measure use over a period, write down the register and the time, avoid using water, and read again later. Subtract. If the figure rose with nothing running, water is escaping. Take a photo of the meter each time so you have a dated record.
A monthly habit that catches leaks early
Once a month, with everything off, glance at the low-flow indicator. It takes ten seconds. Pair it with a quick look under sinks and at the water heater. Check the bill for the usage number and compare it with the same month last year.
Many leaks begin small. A monthly check catches them when they cost a little, before they grow into a large bill or into water damage.
What a plumber will do
If your checks point to a leak, a plumber starts by isolating the house from the service line to see which side the leak is on, then tests sections of pipe. The plumber explains what was found, where it is and what a repair involves. See leak detection for the steps.
Ask for the findings in writing. If you plan to ask the utility for an adjustment, a written note about the leak and the repair is useful. Also ask whether the repair covers only the pipe or includes the opening in the wall.
Seasonal swings are normal
Water use rises in the dry months, when lawns need watering and pools need topping up, and it falls in cooler or wetter months. Compare the bill with the same month last year to separate a leak from the season. A bill that is up sharply compared with last year, with the same people in the house, is worth chasing.
What to ask your utility
Call the utility and ask for the meter read dates, a copy of daily or hourly use if available, and whether the meter was recently changed. A meter that is misread or faulty is rare but possible, and the utility can test it.
Ask whether the utility offers any adjustment after a leak repair. Policies differ and not every utility has one. Keep the repair receipt and the meter readings. If a plumber finds a leak, ask for a written note of what was found and fixed, since the utility or an insurer may ask for it.
Common questions
High water bill questions
Common causes are a toilet leak, irrigation running too long, a hidden pipe leak or extra use. The meter test with all water off tells you whether water is flowing.
Warm floor spots, the sound of water with everything off and a steady increase are signs. A plumber confirms it with listening equipment.
Some do, and some do not. Ask your utility about its policy before you pay.
It is uncommon. The utility can test a meter if you suspect it.
Related services
Water Line Repair & Replacement
Repair or replace the pipe that carries water from the meter into the house.
Pool Leak Detection & Repair
Tell a pool leak from evaporation, then trace it to the pipe, valve or fitting.
Bill up and cannot find why?
Call and give the meter result. The dispatcher will connect you with a local contractor.