Most plumbing emergencies give warning first. A short seasonal check catches the majority of them.
**Before the wet season.** Clear gutters and check downpipes are connected and flowing to the stormwater system rather than discharging beside the footings. Check stormwater pits are not silted up. A restriction that is invisible in light rain reveals itself in a downpour, which is the worst time to discover it.
**Periodically through the year.** Run the taps in any rarely used fixture for a minute, which refills traps that have dried out and stops odour coming back through. Check under sinks and around the hot water unit for signs of slow leaks. Look at washing machine and dishwasher hoses for bulging or corrosion at the fittings.
**Once a year.** Run the meter test with everything off, which confirms whether water is being lost anywhere. Operate the mains stop tap to make sure it has not seized. Note the age of the hot water system, because knowing it is approaching the end of its life turns an emergency into a planned replacement.
**Before going away.** Turn off the washing machine taps, and consider the mains stop tap for a longer absence. A hose failure while nobody is home runs until someone notices.
If water is entering the house faster than it can drain, turn off the mains water, keep clear of any electrical fittings that are wet, and call for help. Do not try to clear a surcharging sewer or stormwater pit yourself, because the water can carry contamination and the pit may be deeper than it appears.
