Water company says we have a leak but we can't find it
Utility companies often report massive hidden leaks that show zero visible signs inside or outside the house and make no rushing water sounds. First-time homeowners dealing with this sudden warning are left completely lost on where to look or what to do next.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- This comes up 13.5× more often in r/Plumbing than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
Water company says we have a leak but we can't find it
- 1Checking the water meter to see if it shows flowDid this help you?
- 2Adding food coloring to toilet tanks to check for silent flapper leaksDid this help you?
- 3Drying the area completely and watching where moisture reappearsDid this help you?
- 4Running water through individual fixtures one at a time to test for drainage versus pressurized line leaksDid this help you?
- 5Digging out and testing the water meter with everything turned offDid this help you?
- 6Checking toilets for intermittent leaks or replacing tank internalsDid this help you?
- 7Shutting off the main valve overnight to check for meter movementDid this help you?
- 8Looking for damp spots in crawlspaces or basementsDid this help you?
- 9Having a renovation company perform a moisture test and demoDid this help you?
- 10Planning a smoke test of the sewage linesDid this help you?
- 11Having a plumbing company use a camera on waste lines to check for blockages or breakagesDid this help you?
- 12Looking for a leak from a pipe above the ceiling or checking for roof leaks if it was raining.Did this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Our water company called us and told us we have a 31gallon an hour leak.”source ↗
“We have looked everywhere. Zero water in the house or yard. No rushing water sounds.”source ↗
“We are first time home owners and have only been here 4 months so totally lost on what to do.”source ↗
“there is a leak in my living room closet in my apartment, its coming from some kind of box on the left side and now part of the wall is bubbling, any idea on what could of caused this ? (water is clear and odorless)”source ↗
“I apologize as I don’t have any pictures and I hope this is the right place to ask.”source ↗
“My girlfriend woke up with 3 bedrooms with soaked carpet, and rugs in both bathrooms.”source ↗
“Fast forward to the plumber coming out they were unable to diagnose any sort of active leak”source ↗
“Pipe that runs above water heater tank is slowly dripping; once every 10 seconds. What is it for and why would it suddenly start dripping?”source ↗
“Come to this last month even higher. Then I called the water company to see whats going on they tell me there is no leak in their side.”source ↗
“So im at a lost here. I dont own a pool the same amount of people live in the house from the past 5 years, all appliance are the same, only the fridge was changed a few years ago but for some reason we are consuming a lot more water than ever.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 48Water keeps getting in the house during heavy rain
- 2Is my basement leak from the foundation or a pipe?
- 30Water dripping from electrical switches behind walls
- 3Is this mold or a water leak, and do I need to call someone?
- 11How do I find the source of a mysterious bathroom leak?
- 4How to tell if crusty residue on a basement pipe is a sewage leak