Female Plumber's Top Tips to keep your home safe whilst you're away.

Ensure that All Taps Are Turned Off
Now, I know that this one sounds like an obvious tip, but it’s better to be safe than sorry! –Leaving any taps on could result in flooding and then a hefty price to pay to fix the damage. Do one last check before you leave.

Turn Your Water Off
The safest thing to do if you’re planning on going on holiday is to shut off the main water supply altogether, this will give you extra peace of mind and won’t leave you panicking at the airport before you’re due to depart. Simply locate the mains water inlet pipe for your house, and turn the stopcock valve. If you’re not sure on how to do this, give us a call on and we will be able to guide you through it.

If you are asking for a relative, friend or neighbour to keep an eye on your house, take the time to show them where the mains stopcock is just in case something does go wrong. It’s also a good idea to leave a list of emergency contacts for them to ring, just in case.

Check your Washing Machine
Take the time to closely inspect your washing machine hoses to ensure that they are all securely attached and are in good shape. Did you know that washing machine hoses are one of the two major causes of leaks in the home? Check that washing machine!

Set a Timer for the Central Heating During the Winter
If you’re going away during the winter, you need to be careful that your pipes don’t freeze while you’re away as you will not want to come home to a broken boiler or worse. Any poorly or non-lagged pipes could freeze, when this ice unfreezes and expands inside the pipes it will burst the pipes and flood your house.

Most modern boilers will have a timer inbuilt, but if yours doesn’t or you are unsure about setting a timer it is best to ask a relative, close friend or a good neighbour to manually turn it on and off for you – it also means that they can keep your house safe while you are away too.

Empty the Ice-Maker
If your fridge freezer has an inbuilt ice-maker, ensure that your ice-maker is empty before you go on holiday. If your house incurs any power-cuts while you are away it will affect your fridge freezer and your ice-maker, which will result in a not-so-lovely puddle of water in your kitchen. You will not want to clean this up straight after stepping in your front door, so clean it out before you leave to avoid any flooding.