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Most residential meters are located inside, in a basement, crawlspace or utility closet. In the case of an emergency or even for simple plumbing repairs it is good to know where your inside water shut off valve is located. Most valves are located just before and just after the water meter.
- A simple procedure for detecting leaks that may exist inside your home.
- Locate your water meter.
- Make sure that no water is running inside or outside.
- Read your meter in the evening before turning in for the night and jot down the figures.
- In the morning take another reading before using any water.
- If the figures have changed, then there's a leak somewhere. The next step is to find the source.
- Toilets are the most common sources of leaks. Here are a couple ways to find them.
- Put 4 to 5 drops of food coloring into the toilet tank. Wait 15 minutes. If colored water appears in the bowl, you have a leak. The flush valve ball probably needs to be replaced.
- If the flush valve ball is not worn, then check to see if it fits into the flush valve snugly. If not then try cleaning it. If the ball still won't seat properly, straighten the guide wire and make sure it is not catching on anything. (Newer toilets have a chain and a "Flapper ball".)
- Sprinkle a small amount of talcum powder on top of water in tank. If the powder moves toward the overflow tube, you probably have an overflow leak.
- Check for leaks in outdoor hoses, pipes, faucets, and connections. Outdoor leaks are often not as visible as leaks inside the home, but can waste just as much water.