# How to find a hidden water leak at home: the meter and gauge test > Meter turning with every tap closed? How to test for a leak with the meter or a gauge and find a leaking cistern, tap or pipe in the wall. Web page: https://watertrade.com.ua/en/articles/article/kak-najti-protechku-vody · Other languages: [UA](https://watertrade.com.ua/articles/article/kak-najti-protechku-vody.md), [RU](https://watertrade.com.ua/ru/articles/article/kak-najti-protechku-vody.md) *November 10, 2026* ![Diagram: water meter with a spinning leak indicator, a damp patch on the wall along a pipe, a leaking toilet cistern and a wet spot on the floor above a pipe](https://watertrade.com.ua/uploads/articles/find-leak.jpg) Big leaks are obvious. Small ones are more dangerous: a drop a minute adds up to hundreds of litres a year, and water inside a wall or under the floor quietly ruins finishes and screed. You can find a hidden leak without special tools — all you need is the water meter or a pressure gauge and a little patience. ## What the diagram shows 1 — the meter’s leak indicator (a star or small wheel), 2 — a damp patch on the wall along a pipe, 3 — a leaking toilet cistern, 4 — a wet spot on the floor above a pipe. ## Step 1. Is there a leak at all? - **With the meter.** Close every tap, switch off appliances that use water and watch the meter’s indicator. If the star or small wheel slowly turns, water is escaping somewhere. You can also note the reading and check it again a few hours later while nobody uses any water. - **With a gauge.** In a house with a pump, close the valve after the pressure tank, or switch off the pump and close all taps. If the gauge reading drops within an hour or two, there is a leak or the check valve is not holding. ## Step 2. Check the usual suspects 1. **The toilet cistern** — the most common cause. Add a few drops of food colouring to the cistern and do not flush for 20 minutes. If coloured water appears in the bowl, the flush valve is leaking. 2. **Taps and mixers** — a dripping spout or water under the body. 3. **Flexible hoses** under the sink and basin — run a dry tissue over the nuts and hoses. 4. **The water heater safety valve** — it may drip while heating, but if it runs constantly, the mains pressure is too high or the valve is faulty. ## Step 3. Look for a hidden leak If every fixture is dry but the meter keeps turning, water is escaping from a pipe in a wall or floor. Close the valves on individual branches one at a time — for example on the manifold, or on the feeds to the bathroom and kitchen — and see when the meter stops. Then look for clues: a dark or swollen patch on the wall, a warm spot on the floor near a hot pipe, mould, a damp smell, or the sound of running water with all taps closed. > A leak is much easier to pin down when every branch has its own valve. That is one of the main advantages of manifold plumbing — see “Manifold plumbing”. > If water could reach wiring or sockets, switch off the electricity in that area first, then shut off the water and look for the cause. Branch valves and other fittings are in [valves and fittings](https://watertrade.com.ua/en/catalogue/zapornaa-armatura). If the pressure in a house with a pump drops with all taps closed, check the [check valve](https://watertrade.com.ua/en/articles/article/obratnyj-klapan) too. --- Watertrade · sale@watertrade.com.ua · Site map for language models: https://watertrade.com.ua/en/llms.txt