The most powerful leak detection tool available to every Beaverton homeowner costs nothing and takes 15 minutes. The TVWD water meter test -- watching your meter for movement after closing every supply valve in the home -- confirms whether an active pressurized supply-side leak exists anywhere in the system before a single professional is called, before any wall is opened, and before money is spent on investigation.
How to Find Your TVWD Meter
TVWD meters in Beaverton are located at the property boundary -- typically in a small rectangular box in the ground between the sidewalk and the street. The box lid is usually concrete or plastic marked "Water" or "Meter." Older boxes in Central Beaverton and Vose may be flush with the ground. In some older properties, the meter was installed inside the home at the foundation entry rather than at the curb.
Once you locate the box, the meter is a large round dial with a needle and numbered dials. The sweep hand or flow indicator -- a small triangle or circular indicator that spins when water is flowing -- is the important element for leak testing. Any movement of this indicator with all supply closed indicates an active leak.
The Test Procedure
Step 1: Close every supply valve in the house -- under sinks, at toilets, at the washing machine, every hose bib, every ice maker shutoff. Step 2: Make sure no one uses any water for the test period. Toilet fills, refrigerator ice makers, and HVAC humidifiers are common sources of accidental flow -- confirm each is accounted for. Step 3: Read the meter position and photograph it. Step 4: Wait 15-30 minutes without opening any supply or running any fixture. Step 5: Compare current reading to photograph. Any movement in the flow indicator or sweep hand indicates an active supply-side leak.
What to Do with a Positive Result
A meter that moves confirms an active pressurized supply leak somewhere in the system. The test confirms existence, not location. Professional acoustic leak detection identifies the specific failure point.
Note what the test tells you about location: if you closed the main house shutoff and the meter still moves, the leak is between the meter and the house shutoff -- in the service lateral in the yard. If the meter stops when the house main is closed, the leak is inside the house supply system. This tells the detection technician which portion to focus on first.
Run the TVWD meter test any time a TVWD bill increases unexpectedly, after any hard-freeze event in Beaverton, and at the start of each wet season as a preventive check. For any Beaverton homeowner who gets a positive meter result, call (503) 974-3329 for same-day leak detection in Beaverton 97003 and all Washington County service areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most Beaverton TVWD meters are in a small covered box at the curb or property line -- between the sidewalk and the street, or at the front property edge. The box lid is typically marked 'Water Meter.' In some older Beaverton properties, the meter is inside the home at the foundation entry point. If you cannot locate your meter, TVWD customer service can confirm the location for your specific address.
Any movement of the TVWD meter dial during the test period with all fixtures closed indicates an active pressurized supply-side leak somewhere in the system between the meter and the house. The rate of movement corresponds roughly to leak size. The meter test confirms that a supply leak exists but does not locate it -- professional acoustic detection is the follow-up step.
The meter test only detects active pressurized supply-side leaks. Drain-side leaks (which only lose water during fixture use), groundwater intrusion in a crawlspace, and condensation-related moisture are not captured. A drain-side leak test involves running each fixture individually while checking for moisture development in the spaces below or adjacent to the active fixture. Thermal imaging is the most reliable method when the meter test is negative but moisture is still suspected.
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(503) 974-33299460 Adams St, Beaverton, OR 97003 | Washington County