How to Read Your Water Meter: Water Damage Restoration Tips

Attempting to read your water meter can be a bit intimidating. You have to know where the physical meter actually is on the property, then discern the ambiguous measurements on any number of various interfaces ranging from analog to digital, determine what type of measurement the water company is using and THEN you can do all the math to determine your water usage. Sounds like quite the chore, right? Luckily, we can demystify this process here while discussing the potential benefits of doing so!

The Benefits of Accurate Measurements

Understanding your water intake is great for several reasons. First and foremost, you know what exactly you’re expected to pay and why. If you’re interested in making your home more eco-friendly, you can now accurately track the reduction of water usage in the home as well as see updates monthly to continue this trend. Finally, being able to detect money wasting leaks is useful, not just to save on your bill or be eco-friendly, but to save on a very serious, very expensive headache at some point in the future.

Water Meter Access

So, we know what the meter is, and we know why we need it, but where is it? Well you’ve probably seen their housing many times. Water meters usually sit in concrete housing near the curb or street of your home. An apartment or condo will usually have them located within a utility room at or lower than ground level. It’s worth noting you might want, and even need, to gain permission from your water provider before accessing this box.

Assuming all is well, take a flat head screwdriver and lift the cover off. It might be secured in some way with screws or clips, whatever the case just be a good steward and leave it better than you found it. Try not to fish around a lot with your hands, small animals can make a home in and around these boxes and we don’t want a bite or sting to be the result of trying to be a responsible homeowner.

Reading the Water Meter

The first hurdle is determining the interface of the meter. We need to know if it’s analog or digital. Analog will appear like a watch face, speedometer, pressure gauge, etc. A thin needle will designate a number or notch on the outer rim of the circular meter. A triangle, star, or gear may indicate low flow. A complete rotation starting from 0 represents either 10 gallons or 10 cubic feet, depending on the unit measured.

Alternatively on a digital meter, you may need a flashlight or some button for activation. Your provider may even have more info on the type of meter to aid you. The display will likely alternate between the meter and flow rate (again either being gallons or cubic feet). Some even have historical use for tracking trends.

Detecting Water Leaks

On an analog display, recording these numbers and watching for changes you can detect continuous or slow leaks. If your low-flow indicator is moving, you have a continuous leak.

On a digital display, things are simpler. Watch the “flow rate” screen for 10 flashes. If the number is greater than 0, you’ve got a continuous leak. With either of these methods a slow leak may be imperceptible. Measuring a first read and waiting about a half hour, you can record the results again. If subtracting the second reading by the first shows anything more than 0 gallons used, you have a continuous leak.

What to Do If You Have Water Damage in Your Home

This may sound like a little too much trouble, or perhaps even daunting. If the instructions here are a little off-putting, remember you can always call in the cavalry. RestoPros has licensed, highly trained professionals and they even provide 24/7 emergency service. Set up an appointment before it becomes an emergency and have an expert come out to check your meter!