If your water bill jumped and your usage hasn’t changed, a hidden leak is the most likely explanation. Even a small one can waste hundreds of gallons a month.
Check Your Water Meter
Turn off every faucet and appliance that uses water, then check your meter. If the dial is still moving, water is running somewhere you can’t see it.
The Usual Suspects
Running Toilets
A worn flapper valve can leak silently, sometimes wasting hundreds of gallons a day. Drop a few drops of food coloring in the tank — if it shows up in the bowl without flushing, you’ve found it.
Underground or Slab Leaks
A leak in a line under your yard or foundation won’t show visible water right away, but it will show up on your bill and sometimes as unexpectedly warm or damp flooring.
Water Heater Leaks
A slow leak from the tank or fittings can go unnoticed for a while, especially if the heater is in a basement or closet you don’t check often.
Irrigation and Outdoor Spigots
A cracked hose bib or an irrigation line leak can run for weeks unnoticed since it’s outside and often underground.
When to Call a Plumber
If your meter shows movement with everything off and you can’t find an obvious cause, it’s worth having a professional leak detection done — the sooner it’s found, the less it costs in wasted water and potential damage.