How to Check for Hidden Water Leaks at Home
A simple meter test and the tell-tale signs that point to a hidden leak, before your next water bill arrives.
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- After-hours emergencies
The meter test
Turn off every tap, the dishwasher, washing machine, irrigation and evaporative cooler. Note the reading on your water meter, including the small red dials. Wait an hour without using any water, then check again. If the reading has changed, water is escaping somewhere.
Narrowing it down
Turn off the isolation valve to each toilet and repeat the test; running cisterns are a very common cause. Put a few drops of food colouring in each cistern and wait twenty minutes without flushing; colour in the pan means the outlet valve is leaking. Check under sinks and around the hot water unit for drips.
Signs in the house
Look for damp or stained walls, bubbling paint, loose or cracked tiles near showers, musty smells, warm patches on a slab floor, or the sound of running water when nothing is on.
Signs outside
Soggy patches in the lawn in dry weather, water bubbling up from paving, or a constantly wet area near the meter can point to an underground leak.
When to call us
If the meter keeps moving and you cannot find the cause, our leak detection service uses acoustic and thermal tools to locate the leak.
Narre Warren soil and pipes
Most of Narre Warren sits on grey and yellow clay that holds water through winter and cracks open in a dry February. Pipes laid in it move a little every season. On the streets built in the 1970s and 1980s that means earthenware sewer joints that have shifted and let roots in. On the 1990s and 2000s estates south of the Princes Highway it usually means PVC lines that have sagged where the trench was backfilled, leaving a dip that collects grease and wipes. Up in Narre Warren North the blocks are bigger and the runs are longer, often to a septic system or a pump. We bring that local knowledge to every job, and we use a camera to confirm what is happening underground rather than guessing at it.
Related services
- Emergency plumbing
- Blocked drains
- Hot water repairs
- Gas fitting
- Hot water replacement
- Heat pumps
- Leaking taps
- Burst pipes
- Toilet repairs
- Leak detection
- Sewer and relining
- Stormwater
- Roof and gutters
- Bathroom plumbing
- Kitchen and laundry
- Backflow and commercial
More guides
Questions on this topic
How much water can a running toilet waste?
A lot. A constantly running cistern can waste hundreds of litres a day.
Will my water corporation help with a leak?
Pipes on your side of the meter are your responsibility. Some water corporations offer a concession on a bill after a leak is repaired; ask them.
Why Narre Warren calls us back
Local to the 3805 streets
From the Fountain Gate side streets to the estates off Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road, we know the homes and how they were plumbed.
One licence for the whole job
Water, sewer, stormwater and gas are all covered, so one plumber can usually finish what they start.
You approve the price first
The fault is found and explained, then priced. Nothing is done until you say go ahead.
Respect for your home
Covers on boots, sheets on floors, and the mess goes with us. We ring ahead if we are running late.
Get a free quote
Tell us what is going on and a licensed Narre Warren plumber will call you back.
How quoting works
Call 03 7075 3465 or send the form with a short note and a photo if you have one. A licensed plumber rings you back, asks a few questions and books a time that suits. On site they find the cause, talk you through the options and give you a fixed price. Nothing starts until you agree, and larger jobs get a free written quote you can take away and think about.
Need a plumber in Narre Warren?
Narre Warren, Narre Warren South, North and the suburbs around them. No rates on the website: we find the fault first, then give you the price.