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An unexplained increase in your water bill almost always means water is going somewhere it shouldn’t. Our plumber Noah responded to a Duncan homeowner last month whose Spartanburg Water bill had jumped from $45 to $180 with no change in habits. The culprit: a toilet flapper that had warped just enough to let a constant trickle into the bowl — silent, invisible, and wasting roughly 150 gallons per day. A $7 flapper replacement solved a $135/month problem.
Before you assume the utility made an error, here’s what our plumbing team checks.
The Meter Test
This is the first thing we do – and you can do it yourself:
1. Make sure no water is being used in the home (no dishwasher, washing machine, ice maker, irrigation – nothing) 2. Go to your water meter (usually near the street in a concrete box) 3. Note the reading or look for the flow indicator (a small triangle or dial) 4. Wait 30 minutes without using any water 5. Check the meter again
If the reading changed or the flow indicator moved, you have a leak somewhere between the meter and your home or inside the home.
The Usual Suspects
Running Toilet
The most common cause of high water bills that homeowners miss. A toilet with a leaking flapper can waste 200+ gallons per day – over 6,000 gallons per month – without making any obvious sound.
The food coloring test: Add a few drops of food coloring to the toilet tank. Wait 15 minutes without flushing. If color appears in the bowl, the flapper is leaking. A new flapper costs $5-$10 and takes 5 minutes to install.
Check every toilet in the house. Multiple leaking flappers compound the problem.
Leaking Supply Lines
Supply lines under sinks, behind toilets, and connecting to appliances (dishwasher, ice maker, washing machine) can develop slow leaks. Check under every sink and behind every toilet for moisture, drips, or water stains on the floor or cabinet.
Underground Leak (Service Line)
The water supply line between the meter and your home runs underground. If it develops a leak, water saturates the soil without any visible sign inside the home. Clues: a wet spot in the yard that’s always damp, greener grass along the line route, or the meter spinning when all indoor water is off.
Underground leak repair requires excavation or, in some cases, trenchless pipe replacement.
Slab Leak
In homes built on concrete slabs, supply lines run under the foundation. A leak under the slab is invisible – water may not surface for weeks or months. Clues: warm spots on the floor (hot water line leak), the sound of running water when nothing is on, or moisture/mildew odor with no visible source.
Slab leak detection requires specialized acoustic equipment or thermal imaging. Our team locates the leak precisely to minimize the repair footprint.
Irrigation System
Sprinkler leaks, broken heads, stuck valves, and timer malfunctions can waste enormous amounts of water. If you have an irrigation system, inspect it while it’s running – look for broken heads, geysers, soggy areas, and heads spraying onto pavement.
A stuck zone valve that runs continuously overnight can add hundreds of dollars to a single billing cycle.
Water Softener Malfunction
Water softeners regenerate (backwash) on a schedule. If the control valve malfunctions, the unit can regenerate continuously, dumping water down the drain 24/7.
Outdoor Hose Bib
A slowly dripping outdoor faucet that you never check can waste thousands of gallons over a billing cycle. Walk the exterior of your home and check every hose bib.
When to Call a Plumber
If the meter test confirms a leak but you can’t find it inside the home, call a professional. Hidden leaks – underground, under slabs, or inside walls – require specialized equipment to locate. The longer they run, the more damage they cause (and the higher the bill gets).
We offer leak detection services that pinpoint the source without unnecessary demolition. Once located, we present repair options and let you decide.
YOUTUBE EMBED: Got High Water Pressure? This One Valve Fixes It FAST — @YallCallWally
Call Waldrop Plumbing Air Electric at (864) 536-0887.
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