Detecting an underground water leak

[Murdochcat]

I haven't done that. Can I still even take an 'actual' reading if there's a smart meter installed?

In any case, I have now only a few weeks to fix the leak (or establish there isn't one) before Thames insist on fixing it themselves (see my earlier post).

Seems you know what the priority is. Having a "blip" months ago is hardly justification for Thames Water to act on your property - especially given how many leaks you see on our roads these days

 

[Alec_t]

Can't you just tell Thames that the leak has now been fixed?

 

[pulck]

Can't you just tell Thames that the leak has now been fixed?

I can if I don't want to know if there is a leak. Or if I don't want to know if their meter is faulty.

 

[75pete]

We had a leak back in Feb. Also with TW.
Does any tap hiss when used…air escaping, more noticeable first thing after no usage at night.
There is a chance that air from a reconnection upstream vented via your meter/property.
Was able to look under our floor …all dry
Was going to knockout an air brick if necessary
The meter in the street looked dry but I insisted it was dug up and connection checked. Bit of an argument but won.
Took a few weeks and I checked our home insurance policy….didn’t cover wear and tear! . That’s the new cop out when you ask if it covers water leaks.
So meter connection with our side was letting by but as this was still in the public footpath…..down to TW.
Hope this helps
Ps
Check your policy you might be lucky
We are now with a well respected insurance co that Does cover water leaks..one less headache
I now take a reading 4weekly as I was first aware when a silly bill arrived

 

[DP]

Close all taps after you have filled a tumbler full of water
Close the tap in the street
Offer the tumbler to the tap spout and open the cold tap
If the tap drinks water from the tumbler, you have a leak

 

[pulck]

Close all taps after you have filled a tumbler full of water
Close the tap in the street
Offer the tumbler to the tap spout and open the cold tap
If the tap drinks water from the tumbler, you have a leak

Thanks. Interested to understand how this works.

 

[DP]

Thanks. Interested to understand how this works.

Think about it

 

[pulck]

Presumably the leak draws water from the tumbler. But I must admit, I don't quite understand the physics. However, I'll give it a go over the weekend

 

[pulck]

Close all taps after you have filled a tumbler full of water
Close the tap in the street
Offer the tumbler to the tap spout and open the cold tap
If the tap drinks water from the tumbler, you have a leak

I tried this over the weekend. After turning off the main stopcock in the street, I was still getting water flowing from the kitchen tap. I presume that means there is no leak between the stopcock and the house.

I also tried taking 2 water readings 20 mins apart (making sure no water was used in the house during those 20 mins). The meter did not change.

Is it safe to assume I don't have an underground leak from these 2 tests?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Thanks. Interested to understand how this works.

If there is a leak, then all the pressure in the pipe, will be lost, and there will be a slight vacuum. The tumbler of water, held up covering the tap, will then suck water into tap/pipework, when the tap is opened - but only if there is a vacuum/leak.

 

[gas112]

Had one that was losing 700 litres per hour it sucked the water out of the central heating system due to faulty non return valve on filling loop .
Poor guy then found letter from 6 weeks prior informing him if not fixed within a week they would bill him
His girlfriend had opened it not told him luckily enough they didnt bill him when he explained

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It's strange, though, because the water meter shows consistent/normal readings, apart from for 4 days in November 2023, when water usage went up to around 10K litres per day and then dropped back down to normal without any intervention.

One cubic metre = 1000 litres, so over those four days, they are suggesting you leaked 40 cubic metres of water over those four days - you would certainly have noticed that amount of water. I would therefore suggest, completely impossible, in a normal household.

Their meter was misread, or is faulty, hope they haven't charged you for it?

 

[pulck]

One cubic metre = 1000 litres, so over those four days, they are suggesting you leaked 40 cubic metres of water over those four days - you would certainly have noticed that amount of water. I would therefore suggest, completely impossible, in a normal household.

Their meter was misread, or is faulty, hope they haven't charged you for it?

They want to double my monthly direct debit based on last 12 months' usage. It was when I got the new monthly bill that I looked into it and saw the huge usage over 4 days in November 2023. I'm now trying to prove to them it's not a leak on my property because - as you say - I'd have noticed if that amount of water went missing.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

They want to double my monthly direct debit based on last 12 months' usage. It was when I got the new monthly bill that I looked into it and saw the huge usage over 4 days in November 2023. I'm now trying to prove to them it's not a leak on my property because - as you say - I'd have noticed if that amount of water went missing.

Do they really take the readings daily? My usage is around 1.0 to 1.7 cubic meters per week. Yorkshire water, only bill me annually for consumption, with annual consumption values.

 

[Notch7]

I tried this over the weekend. After turning off the main stopcock in the street, I was still getting water flowing from the kitchen tap. I presume that means there is no leak between the stopcock and the house.

I would interpret that as the man stopcock not turning off fully

I dont it tells you whether there is a leak or not