Water meter running when no water is used? How to test for a leak

Is your water meter running while every tap is off? Then water is almost certainly escaping somewhere. Usually it is a running toilet, a dripping tap or the overflow valve of a water heater. Sometimes the leak is in a pipe inside the floor or the wall. A simple one-hour meter test tells you for sure.

In this article you can read how to test the water meter, how to find the source of the leak step by step, what you can fix yourself, who pays for a leak before or after the meter, and when it is better to let a professional look for it.

Why is my water meter running when I am not using any water?

If the water meter turns while nobody is using water, water is escaping through a leak or through an appliance that keeps running. The meter records every litre that enters your home after the meter, even if you do not notice anything yourself.

The most common causes are:

• A running toilet. The float valve does not close properly or the seal in the cistern leaks. A thin stream of water then runs into the bowl all the time.
• A dripping tap or shower mixer. That seems like very little, but according to Evides a dripping tap easily wastes 15 litres of water a day.
• The overflow valve of a water heater. On an electric water heater or a close-in boiler (a small water heater under the sink), the inlet valve set drips a little while the water heats up. If it keeps running all the time, something is wrong.
• An appliance with its own water connection, such as a water softener or a dishwasher with a faulty supply.
• The outside tap or a pipe to the garden, for example after frost.
• A hidden leak in a pipe in the floor, the crawl space or behind a tiled wall. That is the most difficult case and often calls for leak detection.

Good to know: a leak in your central heating system usually does not show on the water meter. Central heating is a closed system that you only top up now and then. You notice a leak there by the pressure on the boiler dropping. Read more about that in our article boiler pressure keeps dropping.

Water meter running with no water in use: how do I test for a leak?

Turn off all water use in the house, write down the meter reading, wait an hour and read the meter again. If the reading has changed while nobody used any water, you have a leak or an appliance that keeps running.

1. Find the water meter. It is usually in the meter cupboard, the cellar or the crawl space. In a block of flats it is sometimes in a shared room.
2. Turn off all water use. Close all taps, including the washing machine tap. Switch off the dishwasher and the washing machine and do not flush the toilet, so the cistern stays full.
3. Write down the reading. Note all the digits, including the red digits after the decimal point. They stand for the smallest amounts and are the first to move. Take a photo of it too.
4. Wait an hour. Do not use any water during that time. For a more precise result, note the reading in the evening before you go to bed and read it again in the morning before anyone uses water.
5. Read the meter again. If the reading has not changed, there is no leak after the meter. If the digits have moved on, carry on looking for the source.

Is the water meter itself wet? Condensation or a leak

A wet water meter or pipe in the meter cupboard does not have to be a leak. It is often condensation. Vitens gives this test: dry the pipe or meter with a dry cloth. If it is wet again within a minute, you probably have a leak. If it takes more than five minutes for new drops to appear, it is condensation. If the coupling at the meter leaks, do not repair it yourself, and do not force a main stopcock that is stuck.

How do I find where it is leaking?

Work from easy to hard: check the toilets and taps first, then close the stop valves one by one and check each time whether the meter stops. In many cases this lets you find the source yourself.

Step 1: test the toilet for a leak

• Listen. If you hear the cistern quietly rushing or hissing while nobody has flushed, it is running.
• Paper test. Dry the back of the bowl and hold a sheet of toilet paper against it. If the paper gets wet without anyone flushing, the cistern is leaking.
• Colour test. Put a few drops of food colouring in the cistern and do not flush. If you see colour in the bowl after half an hour, the seal is leaking or the float valve does not close properly.

Often adjusting the float valve or replacing the seal is enough. If you have more than one toilet, test them all.

Step 2: check the taps, shower and water heater

Look at every tap and shower to see whether drops are falling or a thin stream is running. On a water heater, check that the drain of the overflow valve is dry when the heater is not heating up.

Step 3: close the stop valves one by one

There are often small stop valves under the washbasin, by the toilet and at the water heater. The outside tap usually has its own stop valve indoors as well. Close them one by one and after each valve watch the red digits on the meter for a few minutes. When the meter stops, you know which part of the installation the leak is in.

Step 4: check the outside tap and the garden pipe

An outside tap that was not drained in winter can crack in the frost. The leak is then often inside the wall or in the pipe to the garden. How to prevent that is explained in our article on getting your outside tap ready for winter.

Step 5: no source found? Look out for these signs

If the meter keeps running while all the taps, toilets and appliances are fine, the leak is probably in a pipe you cannot see. Look out for:

• a damp patch or discolouration on the floor, the ceiling or a wall;
• a warm spot in the floor, which can point to a leak in a hot water pipe;
• a musty smell or loose tiles;
• water in the crawl space (look through the crawl space hatch with a torch);
• a hissing sound in the wall or floor while no water is being used.

In this case, do not break open a floor or wall on a hunch. Targeted leak detection first pinpoints the spot, so that as little as possible has to be broken open. You can read more about how we work on our page about leak detection in Almere and the surrounding area.

A leak before or after the water meter: who is responsible?

For a leak before the water meter, you call the water company. For a leak after the water meter, the owner of the home is responsible. In Almere and Lelystad, the water company is Vitens.

According to Vitens, it works like this:

• Leak before the meter: contact the Vitens fault service on 0800 0359. The number is free and available 24 hours a day.
• Leak after the meter: Vitens does not repair this. The owner of the home is responsible for all pipes and installations after the water meter. If you rent, that is your landlord or housing association.

How do you know where the leak is? If the meter stands still while all the taps are closed, but you still see water, for example at the pipe coming into the meter cupboard? Then, according to Dunea, the leak is probably in the supply pipe or at the water meter. If the meter does keep running, the leak is after the meter, so in your own installation.

What if you rent?

Report a leak after the meter to your landlord or housing association first. Small repairs, such as replacing tap washers, are the tenant’s responsibility under the Besluit kleine herstellingen (the Dutch decree on minor repairs).

A high water bill because of a leak: what can you do?

In principle you pay for all the water that goes through your meter, even if it ran away through a leak. Under certain conditions, though, Vitens can give a goodwill payment.

According to Vitens, if you rent your home you first contact your landlord or housing association. If you do not get compensation from them, you may qualify for a goodwill payment under certain conditions. If you own your home, you can call Vitens to ask whether you qualify. So keep:

• photos of the meter readings before and after the repair;
• the repair invoice, stating where the leak was;
• photos of the leak and any damage.

Did the leak damage floors or ceilings, or did things have to be searched and broken open? Then your buildings insurance can sometimes cover part of it. That differs per policy. Our article on leak detection and your insurance explains what to look out for.

How often should I check my water meter?

Do the meter test at least twice a year. Dunea advises that, and in older homes even every month. That way you find a small leak before it turns into a high bill or damage.

A few fixed moments are handy:

• After the winter: frost can damage pipes and the outside tap.
• After a holiday: if nobody has used any water, you can see straight away whether the reading has gone up.
• When the water bill is higher than you expected.
• When you hear a toilet or tap rushing.

Most homes in Almere were built from 1976 onwards, and in Lelystad from 1967. In homes that are already decades old, it is sensible to check taps, couplings and visible pipes now and then.

What does it cost to have a leak traced?

That depends on how quickly the source is found. A running toilet or dripping tap is often fixed quickly. A hidden leak in a floor takes more time, because the right spot has to be found first.

Klusbedrijf MSZ works with an hourly rate, so you only pay for the time the work really takes. National price guides and the factors that decide the price are covered in our article what does leak detection cost. Feel free to send a photo or video of the meter and the spot where you see water first, and you will get a free first estimate.

Fix it yourself or call a professional?

You can often fix a running toilet or a leaking tap yourself. A leak in a pipe, at the meter or in the floor is better left to a professional.

You can usually do this yourself:

• adjust the toilet’s float valve;
• replace a tap washer or the seal in the cistern;
• check the stop valves and narrow down the leak;
• drain the outside tap for the winter.

Call a professional if:

• the meter keeps running and you find no source after all the steps;
• you see a damp patch, a warm spot or water in the crawl space;
• water is coming through the ceiling or a wall is getting wet;
• a stop valve does not close properly or starts leaking when you turn it;
• a pipe needs to be replaced or rerouted.

If a lot of water is coming out, close the main stopcock first. Report a leak at the meter or at the main stopcock itself to Vitens. For repairs to pipes inside the house, you can turn to a plumber for leaks and pipework. Already seeing water damage? Then also read what to do straight away with a leak in your home.

Frequently asked questions

How long should I wait during the water meter test?

Wait at least an hour without using any water. If you also want to spot small leaks, note the reading in the evening and read it again in the morning before anyone uses water.

My water meter is running very slowly. Is that a problem?

Yes, even a small leak adds up. According to Evides, a dripping tap easily wastes 15 litres of water a day. The cause is often a running toilet or a tap, and that is usually easy to fix.

Is a wet water meter always a leak?

No, it is often condensation. Dry the meter: if it is wet again within a minute, it is probably a leak. If it takes longer than five minutes, it is condensation.

Who pays for a leak before the water meter?

A leak before the meter is for the water company. In Almere and Lelystad, you call the Vitens fault service on 0800 0359, free and available 24 hours a day.

Do I get money back for a high water bill caused by a leak?

In principle you pay for all the water that goes through the meter. Vitens can give a goodwill payment under certain conditions. If you rent, contact your landlord first.

Can a leak in the central heating make the water meter run?

Usually not. Central heating is a closed system that you top up now and then, and a leak there shows as falling pressure on the boiler. Only if your installation tops itself up automatically can the water meter run along with it.

Need help with a running water meter in Almere?

Is your water meter running and you cannot find the cause, or is the leak in a pipe you cannot see? Klusbedrijf MSZ is a family business from Almere and works in Almere, Lelystad and the wider area. We are available 24/7. On our page about leak detection you can read how we trace and repair a leak.

The first hour on site costs €181.44 incl. VAT (€149.95 excl. VAT), then €108.84 incl. VAT (€89.95 excl. VAT) per hour. The first hour is the minimum per visit. In Almere we charge no call-out charge; elsewhere in our service area you pay one fixed amount of €42.35 incl. VAT (€35 excl. VAT). See our prices or ask for a free quote. Call or WhatsApp 06 19 74 36 78. Feel free to send a photo via WhatsApp of the meter and the spot where you see water.