A water bill that suddenly spikes is one of the most common reasons people call us — and more often than not, a hidden leak is the cause. Before you pay anyone, this five-minute test tells you whether you have one.
The 5-minute meter test
- Turn off every tap and water-using appliance in the house (and the garden).
- Go to your water meter (usually at the boundary).
- Watch the dial or the last digits for a minute or two.
If anything is still turning with all the water off, water is escaping somewhere — you have a leak.
Inside or outside?
Now close the main isolation valve at the house. Re-check the meter:
- Meter stops → the leak is inside the house (or between the house and that valve).
- Meter keeps moving → the leak is on the supply line between the meter and the valve — often underground in the garden.
Other signs of a hidden leak
A bill that jumps with no change in usage, the sound of running water when everything is off, damp or warm patches on floors, and a geyser overflow that drips constantly.
Finding it without breaking the floor
Once you have confirmed a leak, we pinpoint it with acoustic listening, tracer gas and thermal imaging — no unnecessary breaking up — and repair only where needed. See leak detection. Many home insurers cover leak detection, and we can often claim direct. Book a leak check.