The main shut-off valve test has confirmed continuous water flow. That means water is flowing somewhere in your pipe system, even if you cannot hear or see it. Now the task is to find the source.
In many cases, the cause can be narrowed down with a careful walk-through of your home. This guide shows you what to look for, step by step and room by room.
Confirmed water flow does not necessarily mean visible damage. Micro-leaks at valves, fittings or toilet flush mechanisms can be so small that they are barely visible. The Enzo one.drop registers the smallest continuous flows, which can develop into serious damage over weeks and months.
Take enough time for the following walk-through. What looks unremarkable at first glance often becomes clear only when you look closely — or touch it.
Check every tap in the house one by one — kitchen, bathroom, guest WC — and observe each one for at least 30–60 seconds while it is closed.
What to look for:
Warning Just a few drops per minute are enough to activate the sensor continuously. A tap that “barely” drips can be the cause.
Angle valves — the small shut-off valves behind toilets, under sinks or behind the washing machine — are often overlooked weak points. Minimal leakage here is often not visible to the eye.
Our tip Slowly run a dry finger or paper towel over the valve and connection points. Slight moisture that only becomes noticeable when touched can be a clear sign of a leak. Looking dry and being dry are not the same thing when it comes to valves.
Also check connections behind the washing machine and dishwasher. They are often hard to access and rarely inspected.
A running toilet can be a cause of confirmed water flow and is often harder to detect. Sometimes so little water runs through that you can neither hear nor see it.
Important The result is only valid with about 10 minutes of waiting time. If you wait longer, the paper can soak up water from below, making the result unreliable.
Also check whether the toilet only runs occasionally. Sometimes the mechanism sticks only in certain positions and releases water at irregular intervals. Observe the toilet over a longer period if needed.
Many leaks hide in places that are rarely noticed in everyday life. Check the following areas deliberately:
Garden taps and outdoor water points are often not fully closed or have leaking connections at the wall penetration. Turn each outdoor tap fully closed and check the connection from inside for moisture.
Heating systems, water treatment units, pressure-equalization tanks and pipe connections in the basement are common sources of minimal continuous flow. Check all visible pipe connections and valves with the finger test or a dry paper towel.
If your house has a tap in the garage, it may go unused for months, which also means it is rarely checked. Inspect the tap and the connection here as well.
Connections for washing machines, dryers with a water connection or freestanding sinks are often slightly leaky — often without a visible puddle, but with measurable moisture at the connections.
If you have carefully checked all water points in your home and are convinced that none of the listed sources can be the cause, we recommend considering a professional leak detection service. Specialized leak detection uses technical measurement methods that can find leaks in inaccessible pipes behind walls, under floors or underground.
If appropriate, also speak with your building insurance provider.
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