Why Is My Water Bill So High in North Texas? What to Check This August

August in North Texas is expensive enough already.

The AC runs all day, the yard needs more water, and then the water bill shows up looking a lot higher than it did a month or two ago.

Sometimes there’s a simple explanation. You’ve been running the sprinklers more often, filling the pool, washing the car, or just using more water because everyone is home.

But if the increase feels too big, it’s worth paying attention.

A high water bill is often the first sign of a plumbing leak, especially when the leak is somewhere you can’t easily see.

We work with homeowners throughout Denton, Flower Mound, Lantana, Lewisville, Argyle, and nearby North Texas communities, and one thing we hear all the time is:

“I thought it was just because it’s summer.”

Sometimes it is.

Sometimes it isn’t.

Start With the Obvious: Has Anything Actually Changed?

Before assuming you have a leak, think about what has been different around the house over the last month.

Are the sprinklers running every day now?

Did family come to stay?

Are the kids home more?

Have you been watering new grass or landscaping?

Did you fill or top off a pool?

All of those things can move the bill.

What gets our attention is when the water usage increases and there isn’t a good reason for it.

If your routine feels about the same but the bill suddenly jumps, start looking around.

Check the Toilets First

A running toilet isn’t always loud.

That’s why this one gets missed so often.

Most people picture a toilet that constantly makes noise after you flush it. But a slow leak inside the tank can be almost silent.

The toilet fills normally, everything seems fine, and then a little while later it quietly fills again.

That can happen over and over, all day long.

An easy way to check is to put a little food coloring in the tank and leave the toilet alone for 15 or 20 minutes.

Don’t flush it.

If the color starts showing up in the bowl, water is getting past the flapper or another part inside the tank.

It may be a small repair.

But small leaks running 24 hours a day stop being small when the water bill arrives.

Take a Walk Around the Yard

In August, we’d definitely look at the irrigation system too.

Sprinkler leaks can be frustrating because a lot of the plumbing is underground. You may have a problem without seeing water spraying everywhere.

Walk the yard after the sprinklers have run.

Look for one spot that stays wet longer than everything around it.

Look for an area that is suddenly much greener than the rest of the lawn.

Check the sprinkler heads for bubbling, pooling water, or weak pressure.

Also look at the curb and driveway. If water keeps running toward the street long after the sprinklers shut off, it deserves a closer look.

North Texas lawns need plenty of water this time of year, but that doesn’t mean all of it should disappear underground.

Don’t Forget the Outdoor Faucets

Hose bibs get used hard during the summer.

Garden hoses, sprinklers, pressure washing, filling kids’ pools, watering plants. By August, those outdoor faucets may have been turned on and off hundreds of times.

Take the hose off and look at the faucet itself.

Does it drip after you shut it off?

Is water coming from around the handle?

Is the area around the wall connection wet?

A dripping outdoor faucet is easy to ignore because it isn’t damaging the kitchen floor or dripping onto a cabinet.

But your water meter doesn’t care whether the leak is inside or outside.

You still pay for it.

Look Around the House for Small Changes

Hidden plumbing leaks usually give some kind of warning.

The problem is that the warning doesn’t always look like a plumbing problem.

Maybe a baseboard is starting to swell.

Maybe there’s a faint stain on the wall.

Maybe the cabinet under a sink smells a little musty.

Maybe one section of flooring suddenly feels different when you walk across it.

You might also hear water moving through the house when nobody is using a faucet, shower, toilet, dishwasher, or washing machine.

Those little things are worth checking.

The best time to find a hidden leak is before it becomes a wet ceiling, damaged flooring, or a cabinet full of water.

And Yes, It Could Be a Slab Leak

Slab leaks are one of those problems homeowners understandably don’t want to think about.

But in North Texas, they’re not something to ignore.

If a water line under the foundation starts leaking, there may be no obvious puddle to point you toward the problem.

Sometimes the water bill is the first clue.

Other homeowners notice a warm spot on the floor, hear water running when everything is turned off, or suddenly have lower water pressure.

You may also see unexplained moisture near flooring or around the foundation.

One sign by itself doesn’t automatically mean you have a slab leak.

But if your bill has gone up and you’re noticing two or three of these things at the same time, it’s worth getting checked.

Waiting usually doesn’t make an underground leak easier to deal with.

Check Around the Water Heater

While you’re looking around, take 30 seconds and check the water heater.

You don’t need to take anything apart.

Just look.

Is the floor around the tank dry?

Do you see rust marks?

Is there moisture around any of the connections?

Is anything dripping?

Water heaters are usually thought of as a “no hot water” problem, but they can leak too.

And if the heater is in a garage, utility closet, or another place you don’t walk past very often, a small leak can go unnoticed for a while.

The Water Meter Can Tell You a Lot

If you’ve looked around and still aren’t sure, your water meter is a good next step.

Turn off everything in the house that uses water.

No faucets.

No washing machine.

No dishwasher.

No sprinklers.

Try not to flush any toilets during the test.

Then look at the water meter.

Give it some time and check it again.

If water is still registering when nothing in the house should be using it, there’s a good chance water is going somewhere.

The meter won’t tell you whether the problem is a toilet, irrigation line, pipe behind the wall, or something under the slab.

But it can help answer the first question:

Do I actually have water moving when I shouldn’t?

“But It’s August. Isn’t a High water Bill in North Texas Normal?”

A higher bill can absolutely be normal in August.

That’s why we don’t recommend panicking over one number.

Look at the pattern.

Compare it with last month.

Compare it with last summer if you still have the bill.

Think about whether your outdoor watering changed.

If the increase makes sense, great.

If it doesn’t, don’t keep paying higher bills for three or four months hoping they come back down.

We’ve seen homeowners do exactly that because they assumed the weather was the reason.

By the time they realized there was a leak, they had paid for a lot of water they never actually used.

A Small Leak Can Still Cost You

One of the biggest misconceptions about plumbing leaks is that they have to be dramatic.

They don’t.

A toilet can leak quietly.

A pipe can leak underground.

A faucet can drip outside where nobody notices it.

You may not see water damage at all.

Meanwhile, the meter keeps moving.

That’s why an unexplained water bill is worth treating like a clue instead of just an annoying expense.

When Should You Call a Plumber?

You probably don’t need a plumber just because your August water bill is a little higher.

But we would recommend having things checked if the increase is significant and you can’t explain it.

Especially if you also notice:

• Water moving at the meter when everything is off

• A toilet that keeps refilling

• Wet areas in the yard

• Unexplained damp spots inside

• A sudden change in water pressure

• The sound of water running

• Warm areas on the floor

• Moisture around the water heater

• A leak that keeps coming back after a quick repair

Sometimes the problem is simple.

Sometimes it takes a little detective work.

Either way, finding the source is better than guessing every time the water bill shows up.

Before You Blame the Texas Heat

Yes, August in North Texas can push water usage up.

That part is normal.

But a high water bill in North Texas that suddenly doesn’t make sense is worth investigating.

Check the toilets.

Walk the yard.

Look at the sprinklers and outdoor faucets.

Check around the water heater.

Take a look at the meter when everything is turned off.

You don’t have to assume the worst.

You just want to make sure you aren’t paying every month for water that’s leaking somewhere you can’t see.

And if you still can’t figure out where it’s going, that’s where we can help.

Jensen Plumbing LLC

Done Right the First Time, Every Time.

Serving Denton, Flower Mound, Lantana, Lewisville, Argyle, and surrounding North Texas communities.

Call/Text: 214-287-0445

If your water bill suddenly jumped and you can’t figure out why, give us a call. We can help find the problem and explain your options without turning a small plumbing question into a sales pitch.