Summer & New Year Plumbing Checklist for Grafton Homes
What to check before you head away, and what to do if something goes wrong while the house is empty
What to check before you head away
Grafton empties out a little every December. Families head to the coast, the Clarence floods with holiday traffic, and a lot of houses sit unattended for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. That's exactly when small plumbing problems turn into expensive ones — nobody's home to notice a slow leak until it's soaked through a wall. A few minutes of checking before you lock up can save a genuinely bad homecoming. Here's what's worth looking at, and if something does go wrong while you're away, how to reach a plumber Grafton locals can actually get hold of over the break.
Before You Leave: A 10-Minute Checklist
• Check under every sink for slow drips — a tap that's barely noticeable daily can waste thousands of litres over two weeks unattended. • Know where your water mains shut-off valve is, and make sure it actually turns (older valves can seize if they're never used). • Clear gutters and downpipes before summer storms — blocked gutters plus heavy rain is a common cause of water finding its way inside. • If you're away more than a week, consider turning the water off at the mains entirely, especially for an empty house. • Check the hot water system's pressure relief valve isn't dripping — a small drip now often means a bigger failure later. • Ask a neighbour to glance at the property every few days if you're gone longer than a week.
Hosting Over the Break? Watch the Drains
If you're the one hosting rather than travelling, the risk runs the other way — more people, more cooking, more load on drains and hot water than the rest of the year. Blocked drains Grafton calls noticeably spike over the holiday period, usually from cooking fat going down kitchen sinks or one too many things flushed that shouldn't be. Our blocked drains guide covers the early warning signs — slow draining, gurgling — worth acting on before guests arrive, not after. Hot water takes a hit too. If your system's getting old and you're planning a house full of guests, it's worth checking now rather than finding out with a cold shower on Boxing Day — see our guides on hot water repairs and choosing a new system if it's due for replacement rather than a quick fix.
If Something Goes Wrong While You're Away
Plumbing problems don't pause for the holidays, and neither do we. Steins runs a genuine 24/7 emergency service right through the break, including public holidays. If a neighbour or house-sitter spots a leak, burst pipe or gas smell while you're away, get them to turn off the water at the mains (or the gas at the meter if it's a gas issue) and call us straight away — our emergency guide and 24 hour plumber guide cover exactly what to do and what to avoid touching before help arrives. Gas appliances get more use over summer too — barbecues, outdoor heaters, pool heating. If anything needs checking or installing before guests arrive, our gas fitter Grafton team is licensed for the full range, covered in our gas fitting guide. And don't ignore a small drip just because you're about to go away — our leaking tap guide explains why a five-minute fix now beats a flooded kitchen later. Heading away or hosting this summer? Get a pre-holiday check sorted before you lock up. Call 0425 736 634 • Request a fixed-price quote online.