There is no worse end to a holiday than opening your front door to the sound of running water. A few minutes before you leave can save you a flooded, ruined home. Here is the checklist.
1. Close the main stopcock
The single most effective step. With the main water off, a burst pipe or failed flexi-hose cannot flood an empty house for days. Know where your stopcock is and turn it off. (If a backup tank or irrigation must keep running, isolate just the house plumbing.)
2. Switch off the geyser
For trips of a few days or more, switch the geyser off at the DB board — it saves power and removes the risk of a fault running unattended. Flip it back on a couple of hours before you return, or schedule it with a GeyserWise controller.
3. Check flexi-hoses and connections
Glance under basins and behind the toilet for any drips, rust or bulging flexi-hoses before you go. A weeping connection now is a flood later.
4. Protect against surges
Load-shedding surges damage appliances in empty homes — make sure surge protection is in place and unplug sensitive electronics.
5. Keep security powered
Make sure gate and alarm backup batteries are healthy so security survives load-shedding while you are away.
6. Leave an emergency contact
Make sure a neighbour or family member can access the property — and has our number. Save it before you travel. Safe travels.