How To Locate Hidden Water Meter?

bob_cntrctr

Gentlemen,

I gotta find the water meter in this house. Usually a simple thing, but:

- there's no basement, only a ~12" crawlspace that is completely enclosed with a concrete foundation all the way around.

- I suspect that either it's under the floor somwhere, in the crawlspace, or previous renovators have closed it in a wall cavity somewhere.

I do have access to a main shut-off valve through a 6"x6" access panel in a wall in the groundfloor bathroom, but can't see any meter in there.

Anyone got a good trick for locating this sucker without ripping up floors and opening walls?

Thanks.

SLSTech

Call the water company - they know where its at
Also you can call dig safe & follow the paint - its probably out by the street (at least around most places I have been at)

Your location - can you put in your profile? Thanks

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bob_cntrctr

Good idea. Well, they sort of almost know approximately where it's at. On the west wall, somewhere between 5 and 15 feet from the north wall. The last guy drywalled that all in. Great. I guess at least now I know which wall to open up...

TimelessQuality

hey bob, Around here, a 'main shutoff' valve is all that is inside.. The 'meter', is outside closer to the city line.

edit...read your last post.. how about listening for the meter?

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-Steve

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science." ~ Albert Einstein

mickeyco

Make sure there is a water meter (tons of houses out here without them), the water may have been hooked up before they began charging, check with the homeowner and see if they get a bill and if they do, is it metered, if there is a meter, is there a unit outside to read it, if there is you might be able to trace the wire back. Other than that maybe some small holes and a Milwaukee or Ridgid inspection camera.







.

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plumber1a

Had a similar situation where a defective pressure regulator was buried, dug up and followed the main till we found it.

jmic

Look outside along the front property line it may be in a meter pit.

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Joe

bob_cntrctr

Ya, like I said, it's definitely in the house, on the west wall. I like the inspection camera. Off I go...thanks everyone.

ISelRfs

How about using Thermal Imaging camera?

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KillerToiletSpider

That right there will guarantee that no plumbers will reply.

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A flush is better than a full house.

rbsremodeling

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mickeyco

Might be cheaper to just rip the entire suspect wall out, unless he happens to have a thermal imaging camera lying around.






.

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Some people climb mountains. I take out the trash. But we both do it for the same reason.

Teetorbilt

+1 for SLS. Somebody has to read it and they know where it is. Here, it's in the right of way and spudded as close to the property line as possible. From there on it's all up to the PO.

Same applies to sewer connections.

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protechplumbing

turn on all of the water in the building. Use an audio leak detector or a good stethoscope to scan the ground and walls. You will hear a "clickity clickity clickity" sound of the gears in the meter spinning like crazy. I use that technique to locate hidden non-metallic water mains all the time.

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Brock

Wait for the meter reader to come by and follow her. She should lead you right to it.

Sorry. I couldn't stop myself.

protechplumbing

Love the avatar!

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rbsremodeling

Hook a hose to the out door water spicket.

Tie a metal hanger around the end of the hose attached to the sprayer.

Drag the hose in the house and walk from room to room the the hanger will pull and be attracted to the water meter

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protechplumbing

You forgot to mention the step where you ingest psychedelic mushrooms first.

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