High bill, no obvious leak.
Condit homes in Claremont sit on roomy lots with lawns, shade trees and sometimes pools, so the water meter reads more than irrigation and showers. Golden State Water Company says the two most common causes of a high bill are irrigation problems and leaks. Its simple test works here: turn off all water inside and outside, then watch the meter needle. If it keeps moving, water is escaping somewhere on the property.
That leaves a short list of suspects: a running toilet, a sprinkler valve stuck open, a leaking hose bib or a buried line. A leak detection visit narrows it down. Past the meter, the repair is the owner's responsibility.
Where Condit is.
Listing guides place Condit between the Foothill Boulevard corridor, the old Route 66, on the south and State Route 210 on the north. Condit Elementary is its central landmark. Lewis Park, Cahuilla Park and the Alexander Hughes Community Center are nearby, and the Sycamore Canyon trailhead is about a mile north. There is no official boundary map in what we found, so use those landmarks.
One guide describes mostly single-family ranch-style and Spanish-inspired homes from a 1960s development, with a typical year built near 1962 and a median lot around 10,000 square feet. Some attached and planned-unit homes sit inside homeowners' associations. That is a general description and not a claim about the pipes in any one house.
Condit calls worth making sooner rather than later.
- A bill that jumped with no change in how you use water.
- A damp or green patch in the lawn that stays wet.
- A toilet that keeps refilling after it flushes.
- A hose bib that drips or leaks inside the wall.
- Water heater rust, moisture or a rumble when it heats.
- A drain that slows in more than one room.
The garage water heater.
Plenty of Claremont homes keep the water heater in the garage. California Health and Safety Code 19211 requires existing residential water heaters to be braced, anchored or strapped against falling in an earthquake, which applies to units up to 120 gallons that have a pre-engineered strapping kit available. If yours has no straps, a plumber can add them.
If the tank is leaking from the body, repair does not help and replacement does. A water heater repair call is worth it for a failed element, thermostat or valve. If the tank itself has split, you are looking at water heater replacement.
| Symptom. | Likely cause. | Next step. |
|---|---|---|
| Meter moves with all taps off. | Leak after the meter or a stuck valve. | Leak detection or irrigation check. |
| Toilet refills by itself. | Worn flapper or fill valve. | Toilet repair. |
| Wet spot in the lawn. | Irrigation or buried supply line. | Leak detection. |
| Water at tank base. | Failed tank or loose fitting. | Inspect, then repair or replace. |
Meter spinning or water pooling?.
Call, describe it, and a plumber can help you find the shutoff.
Condit plumbing questions.
.
Yes. Condit calls go to the line that covers all of Claremont, ZIP 91711. Tell the dispatcher your street and the nearest landmark, such as Condit Elementary or Lewis Park, so the plumber can find you.
.
Turn off all water inside and outside, then watch the meter needle. If it keeps moving, there is water loss on your property. Then shut off the sprinkler supply and check again. If it stops, the irrigation system was the source.
.
California law requires existing residential water heaters up to 120 gallons to be braced, anchored or strapped when a pre-engineered kit is available. Look at the tank. If it is not strapped, ask a plumber to add straps. Your local Building Division can answer permit questions at (909) 399-5477.
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Often, yes. Snaking or cabling clears most blockages from a cleanout. If it returns, a drain cleaning call that includes a camera shows whether the cause is roots, a belly in the line or buildup.
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Take off the tank lid and look at the flapper and the fill valve. Worn parts are a common cause. If water still runs after that, call and ask about toilet repair.