Pool and irrigation leaks vs. slab leaks
Pool and Irrigation Leak Diagnosis Services in Texas
Last reviewed
A moving meter and a high bill do not always mean a leak under the house. Irrigation, pool and yard lines can produce the same signs, and ruling them out is part of finding the real source. Call and we’ll connect you with a local Texas crew for pool, irrigation and slab leak diagnosis.
We’ll connect you with a local technician who can tell.
What this site handles, and what it does not
This site is about leaks in water and drain lines under a concrete slab. It does not repair pools, irrigation systems or yard lines. Those are separate trades. This page helps you work out whether the source is under the house or somewhere else, so you call the right person.
Why other leaks look like a slab leak
The meter counts all the water entering the property. Irrigation, a pool fill line and an outdoor tap are all downstream of it. A leak on any of them makes the meter move with the house quiet, and shows up on the bill.
Describe what you’ve ruled out.
Irrigation leaks
- A zone valve that does not seal fully
- A broken head or cracked line
- A line that leaks only when a zone is running
- A backflow device that weeps
Signs include wet or unusually green patches, soggy ground, low pressure in a zone and a meter that moves when the system is on. Turning the system off at the controller and checking the meter is a quick test.
Pool and fill-line leaks
- An auto-fill valve that keeps topping up
- A leak in the pool shell or plumbing
- Evaporation, which is normal in Texas summers
A pool that loses more than expected, or an auto-fill that runs often, can account for a high bill. Pool repair is handled by pool professionals.
A leak test gives a clear answer.
The service line and outdoor taps
The service line runs from the meter to the house, usually underground. A leak there moves the meter even when the main shutoff at the house is closed. A dripping hose bib or a leak at an outside tap can do the same. See the isolation steps in water meter leak check.
How to sort the source
- Turn off irrigation and pool auto-fill.
- Check the meter with everything off. If it stops, the source was one of those.
- Close the main at the house. If the meter still moves, the leak is between the meter and the house.
- If it stops with the main closed and moves when it is opened, the leak is on the house side, which includes the slab.
- Call a technician to confirm.
A local crew knows how homes in your area are usually plumbed.
In Texas
Irrigation systems are common and often run on timers, so leaks can go unnoticed for weeks in summer. Pools are common across Texas, and evaporation is high. Confirm those before assuming the leak is under the slab.
Describe the signs you have seen.
Using the meter to narrow it down
The water meter is the most useful tool for sorting outdoor leaks from slab leaks. Start with every fixture and appliance off and note whether the dial or leak indicator moves.
If it moves, turn off the irrigation system at its own valve and check again. If the movement stops, the irrigation system is the likely source. If your pool has an automatic fill, turn that off too and check again. A meter that stops after the fill is closed points toward the pool side.
If the meter keeps moving with irrigation and pool fill off, close the main shutoff at the house. A meter that still moves with the house shutoff closed points to the service line between the meter and the house. A meter that stops once the house is closed off means the loss is inside, which is where a slab leak becomes a real possibility. See water meter leak check.
Seasonal patterns
The time of year can hint at the source. Irrigation leaks often show up when systems are turned back on in spring, or after a period of heavy use in summer. A bill that jumps only during watering months, and drops when the system is off, points outdoors.
Pools lose more water to evaporation in hot, dry, windy weather, so a falling water level in summer is not always a leak. A simple bucket test beside the pool can help separate evaporation from leaking. A pool contractor can explain how to do it.
Slab leaks do not follow the seasons in the same way. A supply leak under the slab tends to show steady meter movement whatever the weather, although soil movement during long dry spells can make new leaks more likely.
After the source is known
Once the meter tests point to a source, the next call depends on where the water is going. Irrigation leaks belong with an irrigation contractor, and pool or fill-line leaks with a pool contractor. A leak on the service line between the meter and the house is a plumbing repair, though it is not under the slab.
If the tests point inside the house, a slab leak technician can isolate the hot and cold lines and locate the leak. Tell them what you have already ruled out and how. It saves time and can shorten the visit.
It is possible to have more than one leak at once. If the meter slows but does not stop after one source is fixed, test again. See how slab leaks are found.
Outdoor clues worth checking
Walk the yard before calling anyone. A strip of lawn that stays green during dry weather, a patch that is always soft underfoot, or water pooling near a sprinkler head can all point to an irrigation line. Around a pool, look for damp soil near the equipment pad, wet areas along the return lines, or cracks in the decking that stay dark.
Check outdoor taps and hose connections too. A dripping hose bib does not move the meter much, but a split line to an outdoor tap can. Note anything you find and mention it when you call. If none of these signs appear and the meter keeps moving, the leak is more likely inside or under the house.
If you have a sprinkler controller, check its settings too. A zone set to run more often than you thought, or a valve that sticks open after a cycle, can look like a leak on the bill. Running each zone by hand and watching the heads for a few minutes shows whether any are broken, tilted or spraying the house. Fixing these is usually simple, and it removes one possible cause before anyone tests the slab.
Pool, irrigation and slab leak questions
Yes. It can move the meter and add to the bill with no sign inside the house.
No. Those are separate trades. This site is about leaks under the slab.
Turn the system off at the controller and check the meter with everything else off.
If the meter moves with the main at the house closed, the leak is between the meter and the house.
Yes. Texas heat can cause significant loss.
The source was in that system. Contact an irrigation professional.
Yes. Rule out irrigation, and then test again.
Close the main if it is surfacing, and call someone who handles yard lines or a leak technician to confirm.
A leak technician isolates the lines and can tell you where the loss is.
Find out whether the leak is under the house
Call and we’ll connect you with a local technician who can isolate the lines and test them.
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