If your water bill is
unusually high, you may have a leak. Toilets are the
first place to check. A leaky toilet can waste
thousands of gallons each month.
Check these water wasters:
Toilets
The flapper is the most common
source of problems. Turn the water supply valve off
at the toilet and watch the level in the toilet
bowl. If the level drops, replace the flapper and
clean the flapper seal in the toilet tank. In
addition, check the level in the tank. After
flushing, the water should shut off when the tank
level is about ½ inch to 1 inch below the overflow.
If water does not shut off at this level, adjust the
float in the toilet water tank. Use the dye test to
confirm a toilet leak. Dye packets and
instructions are available upon request.
Water Softeners
After the softener has
regenerated, check to see if water is still running
down the drain. If it is, the softener needs to be
repaired. Consider turning off and bypassing your
softener. Remember, the Water Treatment Plant
softens your water for you!
Faucets
Dripping faucets should be
repaired or replaced.
Furnace Humidifier
Inspect the humidifier float to
make sure that it is shutting off the fill water at
the level recommended by the manufacturer. Check
your owner's manual for details.
Overnight Leak Check
- Locate your water meter
inside your house.
- Read and record it in the
evening when you are done using water for the
day. If you have a softener, pick a day that
your softener will not be regenerating.
- Read it again the next
morning before you use any water. If your meter
reading changed overnight when no one was using
water, you have a leak.