Do I have a leak? 5 July 2020 at 9:46AM in Water bills 14 replies 278 views

calleyw

I have just had my latest water bill covers approx a 6 month period. The meter has been read so no estimate.  I am on meter and as my partner has not been living me with for at least 4 of the last 6 months I expected the bill to be a lot less.

Newest bill is over 168 days 20m3 used averaged 119L a day used.

Previous bill over 202 days 24m3 used (expected overall to be higher as 34 more days in the billing cycling) average per day 119L

And the bill before that I don't have to hand but was averaging 112L taken that from the current bill as it shows you averages over the last 3 bills.

I am home all day anyway so only change is rather than being out a day a week and maybe a couple of a evenings due to the cornavirus. And not having a partner here having 10 min hot showers and one less washing machine load a week.

Only thing I can think of doing is getting water ready for flushing loos, etc read the meter and not draw any water for 24 hours to see if there is any change in the meter.  None of my taps or cisterns are leaking that I can see of.  Tops are off cisterns as I use excess water when running shower to flush loos etc.

Anything else I am missing?

Yours

Calley x

Cardew

Your consumption is approx the UK average.

Obviously checking the meter over a period with no use is the best method of checking if there is a leak.

The major culprit for leaks in a property is an overflowing cistern where the water flows(silently) back into the bowl. It is worth noting that this can be intermittent; i.e sometimes the float/arm sticks after a  flush; and it is OK after another flush.

onlyfoolsandparking

I would love to average 119L a day, I'm averaging 430L a day!!!!!!! so whilst its always possible to have a leak, I cant see it.  

calleyw

I know my usage is below average and that is not what I was asking about.  And think that is what is being fixated on.  But one person on there own is going to be using less water.  Its not like I have 20 minute showers to make up for my partner not being here.  For 4 out of the last 6 months there has only been me.  And I careful with my water usage hence why I am concerned about it being the same as previous 6 months when my partner was here.

But Never mind.

Yours

Calley x

onlyfoolsandparking

calleyw said:

I know my usage is below average and that is not what I was asking about.  And think that is what is being fixated on.  But one person on there own is going to be using less water.  Its not like I have 20 minute showers to make up for my partner not being here.  For 4 out of the last 6 months there has only been me.  And I careful with my water usage hence why I am concerned about it being the same as previous 6 months when my partner was here.

But Never mind.

Yours

Calley x

There is nothing being fixated on, you asked the question 'Do I have a leak?' which obviously nobody on here can accurately answer!!!, instead your getting replies based on the object of elimination and taking into account the information you supplied on  your daily usage it doesn't look like you have a leak, have you turned off your water and checked if your meter is still flowing?, if not what other answer do you want?   

freesha

Take a meter read. Do not use water for a few hours. Take another read.

Talldave

Or just look at the whizzy disc on the meter and see if it moves.

matelodave

The only way to find out is to do a proper test. It'll take a couple of hour but you can go out between meter reads if the water is turned off. You need to read the meter yourself very carefully. It's sometimes easier to use your phone and take a piccy rather than trying to get your head down the hole. Meters are capable of reading down to 100th or even 1000th of a cubic meter (10 or even 1 litre) but even a very slight leak can lose a surprising amount of water.

Turn off everything in the house - and dont flush the loo. Read the meter including the small red figures etc (and check the little black rotor in the middle if you've got one - make sure it's not turning even very slowly). leave it for an hour or two (don't flush the loo or use any water). Read the meter again and it should not have incremented. (if you do go out, dont inadvertently run a tap or flush the loo before reading the meter. 

If it has then you need to do it again but this time turn off the internal stopcock so you can check whether the flow is in the house or outside between your meter and your stopcock. assuming that it stops when your stopcock is clsoes then look around an stuff like the toilet cisterns and the tanks in the loft if you've got any to see if they are overflowing or dripping - more modern toilets leak back into the bowl (check by, drying the bowl carefully and sticking a bit of toilet paper to the back of the bowl to see if it gets damp) 

Also take into account the sort of shower that you've got - ours has got a flow restricter which limits the flow to 6 litres/min - a 10 minute shower will use 60 litres without a restricter you could easily get through 10-15lpm (100 to 150litres) plus all your other usage - washing, toilets, rinsing your hands, cleaning teeth etc., especially if you leave the tap running whilst you do it.It soon mounts up.


. It soon mounts up.

calleyw

onlyfoolsandparking said:

There is nothing being fixated on, you asked the question 'Do I have a leak?' which obviously nobody on here can accurately answer!!!, instead your getting replies based on the object of elimination and taking into account the information you supplied on  your daily usage it doesn't look like you have a leak, have you turned off your water and checked if your meter is still flowing?, if not what other answer do you want?   

Yes it is.  As you told me how litres you use a day.  Not a question I asked or even cared about. And a totally useless reply.  I am fully aware that no can tell me for sure do I have a leak. But I was asking a question that if a household goes from 2 people down to one person should I see a reduction in use?  I believe that I should, as I am very careful with my useage. And if not is is likely to be a leak?

And I am well aware that I need to go and check the meter but that means lying down on the pavement to look at it.  Not something that I am keen to do but will have to. As to me it does not seem right.

Yours

Calley x

calleyw

matelodave said:

The only way to find out is to do a proper test. It'll take a couple of hour but you can go out between meter reads if the water is turned off. You need to read the meter yourself very carefully. It's sometimes easier to use your phone and take a piccy rather than trying to get your head down the hole. Meters are capable of reading down to 100th or even 1000th of a cubic meter (10 or even 1 litre) but even a very slight leak can lose a surprising amount of water.

Turn off everything in the house - and dont flush the loo. Read the meter including the small red figures etc (and check the little black rotor in the middle if you've got one - make sure it's not turning even very slowly). leave it for an hour or two (don't flush the loo or use any water). Read the meter again and it should not have incremented. (if you do go out, dont inadvertently run a tap or flush the loo before reading the meter. 

If it has then you need to do it again but this time turn off the internal stopcock so you can check whether the flow is in the house or outside between your meter and your stopcock. assuming that it stops when your stopcock is clsoes then look around an stuff like the toilet cisterns and the tanks in the loft if you've got any to see if they are overflowing or dripping - more modern toilets leak back into the bowl (check by, drying the bowl carefully and sticking a bit of toilet paper to the back of the bowl to see if it gets damp) 

Also take into account the sort of shower that you've got - ours has got a flow restricter which limits the flow to 6 litres/min - a 10 minute shower will use 60 litres without a restricter you could easily get through 10-15lpm (100 to 150litres) plus all your other usage - washing, toilets, rinsing your hands, cleaning teeth etc., especially if you leave the tap running whilst you do it.It soon mounts up.


. It soon mounts up.

matelodave,

Thanks for taking the time to make a a very helpful and detailed reply. That was what I was planning to do to check.  where my meter is means I have to lie down on the pavement to look at it!!!!

I will do the toilet check as well.  One question if it running all the time would I not hear the cistern re-filling or does the it micro fill itself?  I have a combi boiler so believe I don't have a cold water tank.  But will need to venture up to the attic to double check.

I did put in a new shower last novemeber ish. will check its flow. And see about getting a restrictor. But as I said its my partner with the 10 min showers everyday but he has not been here for 4 of the last 6 months.  I tend to have a quick shower every other day and strip wash the rest of the time. I never leave the tap running while cleaning teeth.  And I collect run off water when waiting for the hot water to come through and use that for flushing my loos.  So I am careful and aware of the amount of water I am using.

I will report back in a few days with what has happened.

Yours

Calley x

nick74

Another thing to take into account is that whilst your current bill is based on actual readings it may be that one or more previous bills included an estimate. Therefore, your previous consumption may never have been as low as 112L per day in the first place. Anyway your check will hopefully prove it one way or the other.