Water Meter Leak Test for Greeley Homes

Your water meter is a lie detector. It counts every gallon that enters your property. If it moves when nobody uses water, a leak exists. A water meter leak test takes about 15 minutes, costs nothing, and tells you whether to call a pro.

This guide shows how to find your meter, read it, run the test, and understand the result. It also covers false alarms that fool many homeowners.

What you need

You do not need tools. Gather these:

• A flashlight.
• A phone to take photos of the dial.
• A flathead screwdriver or a meter key, if your meter sits in a pit with a lid.
• A pen and paper.
• Another person, if your meter sits far from the house.

Step 1: Find your meter

Meters sit in one of two places.

• In a box near the street. Look for a round or rectangular lid in the ground, often near the curb or property line. The lid may say WATER.
• Inside the house. Look in a basement, utility room, or garage where the water line enters.

If you cannot find it, call Greeley Water and Sewer at 970-350-9811. They can tell you where your meter sits.

Safety notes for outside meters:

• Lift the lid with a tool and keep your fingers clear.
• Watch for spiders, wasps, and standing water.
• Never turn the city's shutoff valve in the pit. Use only the valve on your side of the meter.
• Do not step on a lid that looks cracked.

Step 2: Learn the parts of the meter

Most home meters show three things.

1. The register. This is the row of digits. It reads like a car odometer and counts total gallons or cubic feet.
2. The sweep hand. On many meters, a thin hand sweeps around a small circle. One full turn counts a set amount of water.
3. The low-flow indicator. This is a small triangle, star, or dial. It spins when even a tiny trickle passes. It is the best leak sign on the meter.

Your meter may count in gallons or in cubic feet. Check the label. One cubic foot equals about 7.5 gallons.

{{DIAL}}

Step 3: Turn everything off

Stop every source of water use. Before you read the meter, do this:

• Close every faucet and shower.
• Stop the dishwasher and washing machine.
• Turn off the ice maker. Flip the valve behind the fridge if needed.
• Turn off the sprinklers and drip lines. Set the controller to off.
• Pause the humidifier, the evaporative cooler, and the pool or fountain autofill.
• Do not flush any toilet.
• Make sure nobody else uses water.

If you have a water softener, check the manual. Some units use water on a timer.

Step 4: Run the 15-minute test

1. Open the meter lid or look at the indoor meter.
2. Wipe off dirt or condensation. Shine the flashlight on the face.
3. Look at the low-flow indicator. Does it spin or twitch?
4. Write down the numbers on the register. Take a photo.
5. Wait 15 minutes. Do not use any water.
6. Read the register again and compare.

Step 5: Read the result

Use this guide:

If the meter moves, shut your main valve and watch again. If the meter stops, the leak sits inside your house. If it keeps moving, the leak sits between the meter and your valve. Our page on water line leak detection covers that case.

The longer two-hour test

Slow leaks may not show in 15 minutes. The EPA suggests reading your meter, then waiting two hours with no water use, then reading it again. If the numbers differ, you probably have a leak.

For the longest test, read the meter at night before bed and again in the morning. Do not use water in between. Only do this if nobody needs water overnight.

Step 6: Narrow down the leak

If the test shows a leak, work from the easy suspects to the hard ones.

Test every toilet

Add a few drops of food coloring to each tank. Wait 5 to 10 minutes without flushing. The EPA says color in the bowl means a leak. Flush afterward. Old flappers cause most toilet leaks. The EPA suggests replacing any flapper older than five years.

Check faucets and showerheads

Look for drips, even slow ones. A single drip each second wastes gallons per day.

Check the water heater

Look for puddles, rust, or moisture around the base. Check the pressure relief valve and its pipe.

Check the irrigation system

Close the irrigation shutoff and test again. If the meter stops, the leak sits in the sprinkler system. See our irrigation leak detection page.

Check outside spigots and yard hydrants

Look for wet soil near each hose bib. A damp patch near a spigot may point to a leak. Read more in our guide to yard hydrant leaks.

Common false alarms

Some things move the meter without a leak. Rule them out first.

• An ice maker refilling. It can run a few times an hour.
• A water softener regenerating. It uses water on a schedule.
• A hot water recirculation pump. Some systems keep water moving through the pipes.
• An evaporative cooler or humidifier. These can fill on a float valve.
• A pool or pond autofill. These top up all day.
• A smart sprinkler controller. It may run a cycle you forgot about.
• A neighbor sharing a line. In rare cases, two homes share a service line.

If something else uses water, shut it off and repeat the test.

What to do if your meter moves

You have a leak. Take these steps:

1. Write down the readings and the time. Take photos of the meter.
2. Shut off the main valve if you see water or if the meter races.
3. Check toilets, spigots, and sprinklers for the simple causes.
4. Save your last year of water bills.
5. Call a leak detection company and tell them what you saw.

When you call us, share your readings. The numbers tell us where to start. They also help us decide whether the leak sits inside, outside, or underground. You can see what a visit costs in our leak detection cost guide.

Why a meter test matters in Greeley

Greeley bills single-family homes on a water budget. Water above your budget costs more per 1,000 gallons. The city explains that tiers reflect efficient use for your lot size and household. A leak pushes you past the budget fast.

A monthly meter check takes two minutes. Many homeowners check on the first of each month. If the reading looks high, you can catch a leak before the bill arrives. Learn more in our high water bill guide.

Common questions

Test it, then call us

Run the test today. If the meter moves, call Leak Detector Greeley. A water meter leak test in Greeley, CO takes 15 minutes. Our visit finds the exact spot, so the repair happens in one place.