A majority of homeowners find their water bill generally remains consistent throughout the year. If there’s all of a sudden a drastic increase in what you owe, and you have not had a great amount of water usage, such as:
- Watering a newly laid lawn
- Watering a garden through a dry spell
- Or filling a swimming pool
…you may have a water leak. Clearly understanding how to read a water meter is the first step to figuring out if you have a leak.
Properly Assessing A Water Meter
Typically, the water meter is secured in the floor with a metal plate covering the hole. It is typically located on the front of your property near the sidewalk or street so that utility employees can seamlessly access and read the meter. A handful of times, the metal plate becomes coated in dirt, grass, or weeds, which makes it a bit difficult to find if you don’t already know where it’s located in your property.
Any other dirt or expansion must be removed from the metal plate before attempting to remove the lid. Otherwise you may end up covering the water meter with debris. Then, the metal plate is then removed with a screwdriver or other tool to lift the plate and expose the meter indoors.
Understanding How to Read a Water Meter
A water meter generally consists of two gauges. One monitors the water usage, and the other, which appears to look very similar to a triangle, is used to figure out the leak. Before reading the meter, all water supplies must be turned off and out of use. This includes washing machines, dishwashers, showers, and sprinklers.
After all water usage has comes to stop, you can check the meter. If the triangle continues to spin, this is a sign off a leak. A leak can happen almost anywhere, such as an outdoor faucet, inside faucet, shower valve, or bathroom.
Call the Local Long Beach Plumber
When a leak is discovered, you’ll need to call a licensed Long Beach Plumber to help properly locate the problematic valve, faucet, spigot, or fixture. Some items can be repaired, and others must be replaced:
- Repair broken or damaged pipes inside or outside
- Replace leaking bathroom or kitchen sink faucets, bathtub faucets, or shower heads
- Replace valves to the toilet or replace the fixture if it’s cracked