Making a list, checking it twice, gonna find out if there’s a disaster blowing in…. Storm season is upon us again and the worst is yet to come. You’ve got a few days off coming up, don’t you want to fill it with home maintenance tasks? A few easy jobs you can do around the house now, could save you a world of pain in the tumultuous January and February storm period. If you’re headed away for the holidays, these simple, quick tasks could save you tens of thousands of dollars in emergency plumbing and property damage.

1. Clean your gutters

Your gutters need regular cleaning to clear them of leaf debris and dirt. If they’re not up to par when storms hit, water can inundate your roof cavity causing very costly problems. Stormwater gets flushed from the roof, into the gutters and down pipes and into the stormwater system. If you block that process at the very beginning, you’ll find yourself with serious problems next storm cell. You know, if they’ve got you pulling a Griswold anyway and putting Christmas lights all over the roof, you may as well clear the gutters while you’re there.

2. Check your backyard drainage

You probably have some form of backyard drainage – were you aware? Somewhere in your garden, there’s probably a relief pit. Look for a low point in your garden that has a pipe with a grate covering it. If you can’t find it, it might be the victim of aggress grass growth – you might need to dig around! Any backyard drainage, from French drains to gullies should be clear of overgrowth and blockages. Dump a big bucket of water down your backyard drainage system and check that it flows to the outlet pipe on your street, in a timely manner. If it doesn’t, you may have a blockage that will end in your yard and house flooding in serious rain. Tree roots near the drainage system are the usual suspects for blockages that aren’t “obvious to the eye”. While the mad preparation for Christmas goes on inside, checking your drainage gives you an excuse to be outside.

3. Make sure your hot water system is up to scratch

Hot water systems need annual maintenance – who knew? The seals and valves need to be replaced at the first sign of cracking of degrading. If you don’t, and your system springs a leak, you could be looking at not just a hefty water wastage problem, but HOT water wastage. This is not a cheap problem but replacing seals and valves costs a few bucks. How awesome would an unexpected water and power bill the size of your father in law’s beer belly be just after Christmas?

4. Check your flexi hoses

Just because you don’t have a flexi hose over the your sink (those fancy sink pull down hoses that replace boring taps) Your home has flexi hoses under the sink, behind the dishwasher, maybe around your washing machine or plumbed in fridge – anywhere a flexible hose replaces a solid pipe, you’re at risk of major flood damage. And the more humid the climate, the higher the risk. No wonder North Brisbane Plumbers report these problems constantly! They only last five years. If you haven’t replaced yours in the last five years, and it’s a bit threadbare, you could be looking a split or burst flexi hose. Now, that doesn’t sound that bad, except that they’re connected directly to the water mains – so they just keep gushing 10,000+ litres of water a day into your home. So, you know, if you’re away for two weeks, that’s like emptying a medium sized swimming pool into your home.

5. Fix any drips, drops or pools

That dripping tap? Leaking or running toilet? The shower that won’t quite turn off? The little drops that make it through the ceiling on really rainy days…. It’s more than just annoying, they’re a sign that there’s a problem with seals, washers, valves, roof tiles, or something much, much worse. To avoid a burst pipe (see above for swimming pools in your home) while you’re off on holidays, take a little time out to figure out where that drip is coming from, and why. It’s annoying anyway and you’ll get to tick it off your list.

“There’s nothing more expensive than emergency plumbing on a public holiday. The Laws of one Mr Murphy state that if you’re going to need a plumber, it’ll be at 3am on Christmas morning. For sure. ” Said John from Salmon Plumbers Brisbane.