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Irrigation cycles make a water-meter check hard to read
A meter that moves during a “no water use” check may be showing an automatic cycle, not a plumbing leak. Irrigation can run on a timer, and ice makers or water softeners may use water without anyone opening a tap.
What’s a reliable way to separate those normal uses from a possible continuous leak? I’m curious whether it’s better to note the meter’s low-flow indicator or leak alert over a known quiet period, then account for scheduled cycles and repeat the observation. How would you narrow it down if the meter still registers flow but the timing of an appliance or irrigation cycle isn’t obvious?
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Choose a quiet interval long enough to cover any likely irrigation or appliance cycle, and note when the meter moves rather than treating one alert as proof of a leak. If the timing is unclear, repeat the check with suspected automatic uses paused or isolated where practical, then compare. Flow that persists when those uses are not running is a reason to investigate further; the meter shows flow, not its source.
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