Water Loss

Advanced Operator Short Schools

Reading a Water Meter To Measure Leaks  If your house has a water meter, the entire plumbing system can be checked for an undetected leak in five easy steps:

1. Find the water meter.  (It may be outdoors or hidden in a dark corner of the basement.)

2. Turn off all running water and water-using appliances, and do not flush the toilet.

3. Read the dial (or dials) and record the reading.

4. After 15 to 20 minutes, re-check the meter.

5. If no water has been turned on or used and the reading has changed, a leak is occurring.  The rate (gallons per minute) of the leak can be determined by dividing the number of gallons by the elapsed time.

6. If the leak cannot be found and fixed, a plumber should be called.  Before calling, check all toilets for silent leaks.

Making Repairs To Toilets To Stop Water Loss  Some types of toilet leaks are relatively easy to fix.  Other leaks may require the services of a plumber.  Several simple repair steps  that can be done without contacting a plumber are listed below.

1. If the water is too high in the toilet tank and is spilling into the overflow tube, the float can be adjusted by turning the adjustment screw or by very gently bending the float arm down so that the water shuts off at a level slightly below the top of the overflow tube.  Ideally, the water level should be set so that it is about even with the fill line on the back of the toilet tank.

2. A frequent problem that causes a toilet to leak is a worn flapper ball or a flapper ball that does not seat properly into the valve seat.  If the flapper ball is worn, it can be removed and replaced with a new flapper ball.  When replacing a flapper ball, take care to note how the chain is adjusted before the old ball is removed.  Also, check the valve seat for scale or corrosion and clean if necessary.  If cleaning does not work, install a  retrofit valve seat, available from most plumbing or hardware stores.

3. If the handle needs to be jiggled to keep the toilet from "running," the guide-wire or the handle itself may be sticking.  If the handle is sticking, adjust the nut that secures it in the toilet tank.  If that does not work, replace the handle.

4. If none of the preceding steps solve the problem, contact a plumber to repair the toilet.

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