High Water Bill? What to Check First
Rule out a running toilet, a visible drip and irrigation before you assume the leak is under the slab. Then use the meter.
A higher bill is a clue, not a diagnosis
On the Treasure Coast and the Space Coast, a water bill that jumps is one of the most common reasons people start looking for a leak. Sometimes they find a toilet that has been running for weeks. Sometimes they find a drip under a sink. Sometimes the irrigation ran longer than they realized. And sometimes the meter is still moving after everything in the house is off, which means water is going somewhere you have not found yet.
This checklist is the order we recommend before anyone starts opening walls.
Check these first
- Listen for a toilet. Stand quietly in each bathroom. A fill valve that cycles by itself, or a faint trickle into the bowl, is a leak. A few drops of food coloring in the tank (not the bowl), left for 10 or 15 minutes without flushing, will show up in the bowl if the flapper is letting water through.
- Look under sinks and at the water heater. Swollen cabinet floors, drips at a shutoff, and water at the tank are worth finding before you chase a slab.
- Do the meter test. Turn off every faucet, including hose bibs. Pause irrigation and skip the ice maker, dishwasher and washing machine. Don't flush. Watch the leak indicator. Details are on signs of a leak.
- Account for irrigation and timers. If a sprinkler zone, a softener or a pool filler shares the meter, rerun the test when those are idle.
- Write down what you saw — moving or still, and which toilet or faucet if any was already dripping — and call (772) 203-5437.
If the meter is moving and you still cannot find a drip, see hidden leaks and slab leak signs.
High-bill questions
My water bill went up. Does that mean I have a leak?
It might, and it might not. A running toilet, a drip, a hidden leak, irrigation that ran longer than you thought, a guest in the house, or a billing period with more days can all move a bill. The meter test, with everything off, is the fastest way to see whether water is still leaving the system when you are not using any.
Can a running toilet really change the bill that much?
Yes. A toilet that refills itself every few minutes can waste water all day and all night without leaving a puddle. If you hear it cycle, or see ripples in the bowl when no one has flushed, treat that as a leak and call us or have the flapper and fill valve looked at.
What if the meter sits still, but the bill still looks high?
Then water may not be leaking right now. Compare the billing period to the last one, think through irrigation and guests, and look at the bill for a meter reading that doesn't match what you see. If you want a second pair of eyes on the fixtures anyway, call and say so.
Every job is different. Call us to talk through your job and pricing. Our trip charge is credited toward your repair when you go ahead with the work.
Bill jumped and you can't find a drip?
Call (772) 203-5437. Tell us what the meter did and whether any toilet is running.