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Author:
wolfpack1234 (NC)
Hello
We just moved into a new house. We got our first water bill and it says we averaged 220 gallons/day over the course of 17 days. During this 17 day period, we actually only lived in the house for 6 days. There is no way we used this much water during the days we lived there.
I have taken a look at the meter by the road and with all fixtures turned off in the house I am still seeing a reading of water passing slowly thru the meter. I then turned off the emergency valve to the house and took a look at the meter again, and I am still seeing water go thru the meter. In fact, when water is shut off to the house the meter actually sped up slightly. When I turned water back on to the house, it slowed the meter, but was still getting a reading.
There are no wet spots in the yard and we do not have any issues with water pressure in the house. Does anyone know what could be happening here? Is it possible or likely that the City's meter has a problem and is reading incorrectly? Is it more likely that there is small leak in the water main to the house than the City side?
Thank you in advance for any advice you may have!
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Author:
hj (AZ)
Assuming the house valve is working properly, and that may not acually be the case, then the leak would be between the meter and the building.
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Author:
wolfpack1234 (NC)
Are there any easy tests to determine if the house value may be the culprit?
The City will come out and test the meter, but if they determine the problem is on my side they charge $100 for the test. If the meter is the problem, then there is no charge.
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Author:
North Carolina Plumber (NC)
If the leak is on the city side, your meter wouldn't show it. The leak is no doubt after the meter. Is the house brand new or just new to you ?
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Author:
hj (AZ)
Turn the valve off and open a faucet in the house. If the water stops running the valve is good and the leak is outside. IF it keeps flowing the valve is bad and the leak can be anywhere. In that case you need a plumber, and maybe a leak locating company, to determine where the leak is.
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Author:
wolfpack1234 (NC)
The house is new to me. It was built in 1993.
I don't believe it's the valve--I have turned it off and I ran the water out of the faucet and it stopped completely.
There are no wet spots in the yard from the meter. I fear it's possibly a slow leak in the main line to the house.
Thanks for all the info guys, I really appreciate it!
Edited 2 times.
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Author:
hj (AZ)
Unless your ground is hard clay, any leak, until it gets to be a major one, will soak into the ground, not create a wet spot.
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Author:
drsusan32 (CA)
Our ground in So. CA is hard clay but we have not found any water even though we hear sound of water on under bathroom sinks even when all water off. We haven't gotten a super high water bill yet but leak detector moves when main water on and when water shut off to house. So we have a leak somewhere but don't know where. Since leak detector doesn't move when main water shut off, it is not the water company's water leak here. It is our leak somewhere. How do we locate the leak?
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Author:
hj (AZ)
The leak is inside the house. You would never hear an outdoors leak through your piping. In fact, it is probably near the faucet you hear the noise in.
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Author:
Anonymous User
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