8 Ways to Tell if Your House Has a Water Leak

1. Walk Around Take a walk around your house, does the grass in your yard have puddles or large wet spots? These may be indications of a water leak. 2. Follow the Money Compare your water utilities bill with past bills to see if it is larger than usual. water utilities bill with past bills to see if it is larger than usual. 3. Look at your Water Meter Once you’ve located your meter, check the red flow indicator to see if it’s moving a lot. If it is, you may have a leak. 4. Perform a Leak Check Check the water meter before you leave the house, when no one else is going to be home for a while using water. After an hour or two, check the meter again. If it’s gone down, you have a leak. 5. Check the Bathroom Now that you’ve located your meter, you can check for leaks within the home. Turn off each toilet in the house one by one, checking the meter each time. If the red flow indicator is moving, it is not that toilet. 6. Turn off Sprinklers If the problem is not one of your toilets, try the same thing with your sprinklers. 7. Last Resort If you still haven’t found the leak, shut of the main water supply to your home and check the meter. Turn on a faucet to make sure there is no water flowing inside the home, then check the meter. If it's still moving, the leak is most likely between the shutoff valve and the water meter. 8. Don’t make it Worse Many leaks in the home are easy to fix yourself. Don’t get in over your head though, if you find a leak you’re not sure how to repair, call a professional.