Key takeaways
- Check your water meter with every fixture off.
- Look for stains, musty smells and warm spots on the floor.
- A toilet leak is the most common hidden leak.
- A plumber can pinpoint a leak with listening gear and thermal imaging.
Start with the meter
Turn off every faucet, appliance and the ice maker. Find the water meter, usually in a box near the street, and look at the leak indicator, a small triangle or dial that spins when water flows. If it moves with everything off, water is escaping somewhere.
Read the meter, wait an hour with no water use and read it again. A change confirms a leak.
Check the usual suspects
Toilets cause many hidden leaks. Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank, wait fifteen minutes and see if color reaches the bowl. Then check under sinks, around the water heater, at the washing machine hoses and on outdoor spigots and irrigation lines.
A leak between the meter and the house shows up as a soggy spot in the yard or a patch of grass that stays green and wet.
When it is in the walls or the slab
Warm spots on a floor, the sound of running water, damp drywall, peeling paint and musty smells point to leaks in hidden pipes. A plumber can locate them with pressure tests, acoustic listening and thermal imaging, and open the wall only where needed.
Our Leak Cost Calculator shows how fast a steady leak adds up, which helps explain why fixing it early is worth it for any Nashville homeowner.
Related services
Quick answers
How much water can a small leak waste?
A drip every second can waste thousands of gallons a year, and a running toilet can waste far more. The Leak Cost Calculator gives an estimate.
Will my homeowners insurance cover a hidden leak?
Coverage varies. Sudden leaks are often covered, and slow, long-term leaks often are not. Read your policy and talk to your agent.
Ready to talk it through? Get a free estimate or call 615-431-3789.