Why start with the meter
Your meter counts every gallon that passes. If you shut everything off and it still counts, water is escaping. This is the first step before any other detection, and you can do it yourself in a few minutes. The result tells you whether to look for leak detection near Greer or whether the cause is simply a running toilet.
How to do the test
- Stop all water use: close taps, pause the dishwasher and washing machine, and turn off ice makers if you can.
- Find the meter, usually in a ground box near the street. Lift the lid with care.
- Look for the small leak indicator, often a triangle or star that spins, or a dial that moves.
- Write down the reading, wait fifteen minutes, and check again.
- If the reading moved, there is a leak.
Take a photo of the meter before and after. It gives the provider a clear record.
What the result means
| Result | Likely meaning |
|---|---|
| No movement | No active leak right now. A leak may be intermittent. |
| Slow movement | A toilet flapper, a dripping faucet or a small pipe leak |
| Fast movement | A larger pipe leak or a break |
| Moves only with the house valve open | The leak is inside the house |
| Moves even with the house valve closed | The leak is on the buried line |
Check the toilets
Toilets are the most common source of a silent leak. Add a few drops of food coloring to the tank, wait fifteen minutes without flushing and see if color shows up in the bowl. If it does, the flapper is leaking. If the toilets are clear and the meter still moves, the leak is elsewhere: see in-wall leaks and slab leaks.
When to call
Call a provider if the meter moves after you have excluded toilets, drips and appliances. Describe the speed of the movement and what you see around the house.
Frequently asked questions
My meter has no leak indicator. What do I look at?
Watch the digits or the sweep hand. If either moves with everything off, water is escaping.
Can I just look at my bill?
A bill is slow. The meter test shows the answer today.
Is it okay to open the meter box?
Yes, lifting the lid to read is normal. Do not touch the valves or the pipe.
What if it moves only at night?
That can point to a toilet that refills or to irrigation. Check timers and toilets.