Why Is My Water Bill So High? (The Secret Leak Checklist)

There is nothing worse than opening your water bill and seeing a huge number when you haven’t even been home that much. If your bill skyrocketed but you don’t see any puddles on the floor you probably have a “silent leak.”

Before you panic and call the city here is a quick checklist of the most common hidden water wasters we find in our area.

1. The Silent Toilet Leak This is the #1 cause of high bills. If the flapper inside your tank doesn’t seal perfectly water will constantly trickle into the bowl.

• The DIY Test: Put a few drops of food coloring in the back of the toilet tank. Don’t flush. Wait 20 minutes. If the water in the bowl turns that color you have a leak.

2. The Infamous Slab Leak In Southern California many of our homes are built on concrete slabs. If a pipe under the house cracks you won’t see a puddle but your meter will spin forever.

• Signs to look for: Do you feel a warm spot on the floor? Do you hear the faint sound of rushing water when the house is quiet? These are classic signs of a slab leak.

3. Outdoor Irrigation & Sprinklers If you have an automatic timer a broken sprinkler head or a cracked underground line can waste thousands of gallons while you are asleep.

• Signs to look for: Look for unusually green patches of grass or soggy spots in your yard even when it hasn’t rained.

4. The Water Meter Test (The Ultimate Truth) If you want to know for sure if you have a leak do this:

1. Turn off every single faucet and appliance in the house.
2. Go to your water meter at the curb.
3. Look at the little red wheel or triangle (the flow indicator).
4. If that thing is spinning even a tiny bit while your water is off you have a leak somewhere.

Don’t let your money literally go down the drain. Most of these are easy fixes if you catch them early. If your meter is spinning and you can’t find the source give us a call for a professional leak detection.