A Leak But No Water

[Veggie Dave]

Okay, what am I missing?

I have a customer with a water bill that's far higher than it should be given there are only two people in the house.
The water meter keeps turning, albeit very, very slowly, when nothing and no-one is using water.
If I isolate the customer side of the meter using the stopcock immediately after the meter the dials stop moving.
If I isolate all the brass ware and machines on the system the water dial still moves.
There isn't a single, solitary sign of a leak anywhere.

The vast majority of the system is visible, there's only a vertical run of around three feet that's boxed-in, but there's no sign of water at the bottom of this boxing.

I would swear blind there's no leak anywhere in the system, yet those meter dials keep moving. Theoretically there must be a leak but there isn't a single drop of water anywhere. :banghead:

 

[Rickster123]

Not a wc with a built in overflow?

 

[lame plumber]

its leaking some where, you just need to find out where, just check the roof tanks arent filling when your looking for a leak, common error. can you isolate incoming main and then check dial to see if leak on supply to house.

 

[Veggie Dave]

Not a wc with a built in overflow?

Aaarrgggghhhhh! That was the one thing I didn't check. There was no obvious flow into the bowl but I forgot to actually check the cistern itself.

check the roof tanks arent filling when your looking for a leak, common error.

It's a combi system, the pipework to the tanks in the loft have all been removed.

can you isolate incoming main and then check dial to see if leak on supply to house.

Sadly not, which is why I had to physically isolate and check everything connected to the system.

 

[Howsie]

WC is my bet if you can see all the pipe work.

 

[Veggie Dave]

WC is my bet if you can see all the pipe work.

She's just looked and, apparently, it's not over flowing. This was by text so I'm going to talk her through it on the phone as this seems to be the only possible cause left - if there's no problem there then I may have to give up and become a tiler instead...

 

[snowhead]

Okay, what am I missing?


there's only a vertical run of around three feet that's boxed-in, but there's no sign of water at the bottom of this boxing.

There isn't a T in there going to somewhere, next door, outside tap or?

Alternately can you cut the pipe after the meter and before any T and cap it, it may be a dodgy meter?

 

[lame plumber]

u seem to be missing the fact it may be leaking on the underground section to the house

 

[Veggie Dave]

There isn't a T in there going to somewhere, next door, outside tap or?

There's definitely nothing going either outside or to next door. It's impossible to say there's definitely not a fitting hidden somewhere on the pipe run that's boxed in, but there's no logical reason for there to be one nor any sign of water along the only possible run there could be.

u seem to be missing the fact it may be leaking on the underground section to the house

As I said, the entire system, barring the three feet of boxed-in pipework, is visible. There is no underground section after the meter.

 

[kay-jay]

u seem to be missing the fact it may be leaking on the underground section to the house

A leak before the house wouldn't make the meter spin would it?

 

[lame plumber]

A leak before the house wouldn't make the meter spin would it?

No...............

 

[lame plumber]

best pull off the boxed in section to see if it Ts off somewhere and leaks

 

[Centralheatking]

A leak with no water usually indicates a prostrate problem especially
at night or early hours........centralheatking

 

[dontknowitall]

I'd put my ear to the wall where it comes in. If there's water noise, you can 99% guarantee it's inside the house as opposed to outside before it comes in.

 

[kay-jay]

No...............

Precisely.....reread your previous post lol

 

[lame plumber]

Precisely.....reread your previous post lol

not sure where your coming from here? as it wasnt made clear the meter was in the property, but go on and laugh at your own joke,

 

[Gray0689]

Aaarrgggghhhhh! That was the one thing I didn't check. There was no obvious flow into the bowl but I forgot to actually check the cistern itself.



It's a combi system, the pipework to the tanks in the loft have all been removed.



Sadly not, which is why I had to physically isolate and check everything connected to the system.

Check no leak through heat exchanger

 

[snowhead]

Plan B;

Shut the stop tap at the meter off and see if you can pressurise the system with air.

 

[Centralheatking]

We run 'Water Management Solutions' as a side line and this type of enquiry is common.

Average uk water consumption is 145 ltrs mains water per person per day. This is offset
in two ways - families consume more per head and older folk less (117 litres per day)

Consumption outside of these norms by + 25% indicates problems. It very rarely is the
water meter in our experience. We have just finished a big one that went from £1250
per 1/4 to £4200 in two years - all solved now - all down to old and poor maintemance of a variety of appliances in the multi occupancy block - wasting 7m3 per day which at £2.20
per m3 adds up

centralheatking

 

[Howsie]

She's just looked and, apparently, it's not over flowing. This was by text so I'm going to talk her through it on the phone as this seems to be the only possible cause left - if there's no problem there then I may have to give up and become a tiler instead...

But to a trained eye it may b a different story. A load of bog roll around the side of the pan 10 mins after a flush will tell you.

Good luck either way!

 

[Koogatubac]

Veggie, i had 1 like this when i was running a site. Took me over a year to find. Ended up being a basin tap which was leaking VERY VERY tiny from a ceramic disc cartridge!!

It honestly will be something very stupid!

I capped loads off etc etc and ended up being a damn tap lol

 

[on31ll]

they paid you for a year ? nice one !

 

[on31ll]

no pipework in screed or tiles ?

 

[rpm]

Had this last week. The monthly bill went from £18 up to £44 and it was all down to 2 cistern valves letting water drip in to the pans. Dry around the rim then lay 1 square of paper at a time around the rim and wait for the leak to show - Simples

 

[AWheating]

its normally going to be a wc or other fixture. isolate one at a time and see what happens. ive had it where there was a hair line crack at the bottom of a cistern causing it to pass slightly.

funnily enough everytime i use the toilet i find a hair line crack!