How to Do a Water Meter Leak Test

Your water meter records every gallon that passes from the city's main into your property. If every faucet, toilet, appliance and the irrigation system are off, the meter should be still. If it moves, water is going somewhere you did not intend. That simple fact makes the meter the best first test for any hidden leak, from a running toilet to a break under the slab.

1. Turn everything off. Close all faucets, stop the dishwasher and washer, turn off the ice maker and switch the irrigation controller off.
2. Find the meter box. In Leander it is usually a lidded box near the street or sidewalk. Lift the lid carefully; insects and spiders like meter boxes.
3. Clean the dial. Wipe away dirt or condensation so you can read it.
4. Find the low-flow indicator. Most meters have a small triangle, star or wheel that spins with even tiny flows.
5. Watch for two minutes. Note whether the indicator moves and where the large sweep hand sits. Take a photo if it helps.

Nothing moves: no measurable leak right now. If your bill is still high, check whether usage rose because of irrigation, guests or a pool.

The low-flow indicator creeps slowly: a small leak, often a toilet flapper or a drip. Check toilets with food coloring in the tank.

The indicator spins steadily or the sweep hand moves: a larger leak, which could be under the slab, in a wall or on the buried service line. This is the result that calls for slab leak detection in Leander or a yard line trace.

Once you know there is a leak, two more tests split it up. Close the main valve at the house, usually near where the line enters. If the meter stops, the leak is inside the house. If it keeps moving, the leak is between the meter and the house, on the buried line. Next, close the irrigation backflow valve: if the meter stops, the leak is in the sprinkler system. Finally, with the house open, close the cold supply valve on the water heater: if the meter stops, the leak is on the hot side.

Forgetting the ice maker or a water softener regenerating can make the meter move. So can an irrigation controller that starts a cycle during the test. If the result surprises you, run the test again at a quiet time, such as early morning.

A meter box full of water may point to a leak at the meter or on the city side, which is a utility matter. Call the City of Leander's utility line. A plumber can help confirm which side it is on.

Some leaks are too small to see in two minutes. For those, try an overnight or long test: write down the meter reading at bedtime, use no water overnight, and read it again in the morning. Any change means water moved while the house was asleep. This catches slow drips and small slab leaks that the quick test may miss.

A quick meter test every few months takes almost no time and can catch a leak before it shows on a bill. It is especially worth doing after a big weather swing, after yard work near the service line, and after any plumbing repair. If you are planning to sell your home, a clean meter test is also a simple thing to show a buyer.

Some newer meters show a digital reading instead of dials, often with a flow indicator or a leak symbol. The same rule applies: with all water off, the reading should not change and no flow should show. If you are unsure how to read yours, a provider can show you on the visit.

If the meter shows a leak, call a provider and share your notes. They will start where your tests point: the house, the yard line or the hot side. If water is spreading, close the main valve first; see emergency leak detection. For all services, see leak detection Leander.