1. Water bill spike
Compare your current water bill to the same month last year. A sudden 50% increase with no explanation is the strongest single sign of a hidden leak.
2. Meter movement with all taps off
Turn off every fixture and appliance in the house. Watch the water meter for 10 minutes. Any movement means water is leaving the system somewhere it shouldn't.
3. Damp wall patches
Persistent damp on internal walls, especially below tile lines or near bathrooms, points to in-wall leakage. Efflorescence (white crystalline deposits) is a strong sign.
4. Warm spots on tiled floors
A warm tile far from the geyser indicates a hot-water slab leak. These need urgent attention — the leaking hot water dissolves slab and pipe joint compounds quickly.
5. Dropping water pressure
Gradual pressure drop across the whole house, with municipal supply unchanged, points to a leak bleeding pressure out of the system.
6. Constantly damp garden patch
A green patch on lawn during dry weather, or a sinkhole forming over a buried supply line, means underground leakage.
What to do next
Don't break floors or walls speculatively. Call a leak detection specialist — acoustic and tracer-gas methods pinpoint the leak to within 10–15cm before any drilling. Most insurers cover the leak detection cost as part of buildings cover.
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