Plumbing and maintenance
Protecting an empty or holiday-let property from water damage
Common mistakes to avoid
Traps dry out in empty properties, so a flush-round on each visit prevents smells and shows any developing problem.
The short answer
Water damage in an unoccupied house continues until someone notices. Prevention is about isolation, temperature and someone checking.
How the system behaves
Isolating the supply and draining down for long empty periods removes the risk entirely; a low background temperature is the alternative.
Traps dry out in empty properties, so a flush-round on each visit prevents smells and shows any developing problem.
Frequently asked
Does insurance require anything specific?
Many policies have conditions for unoccupied periods, check the wording rather than assume.
Is a leak sensor useful?
For a property visited infrequently, yes, provided someone can act on the alert.
Other guides you may want
Getting empty property water care right first time
Describe what is there now and what is bothering you. It is usually clear within a message or two whether this is straightforward or needs a look.