A burst pipe can put hundreds of litres through a wall cavity or ceiling in under an hour. The faster the water is off and a plumber is on site, the smaller the repair bill and the insurance claim.

Your water meter is usually at the front boundary of the property. Turn the tap beside it clockwise until it stops. If water is near the switchboard or any power points, kill the electricity at the mains as well, and stay out of standing water.

Once the water is off, open the lowest tap in the house to drain what is left in the pipes — that reduces how much ends up in the building.

Cold is the big one. Orange and Bathurst both get hard frosts, and water expands as it freezes — enough to split a pipe in an unheated garage, an external wall or an exposed run under the house. We also see bursts from ageing galvanised pipework corroding from the inside, ground movement on rural blocks, and water pressure running higher than the pipework was designed for.

Before winter, lag any exposed pipework with foam insulation, disconnect and drain garden hoses, and shut off and drain external taps where you can. If your home still has original galvanised pipe and you are getting repeated pinhole leaks, replacing the run is usually cheaper than paying for the same repair three more times.

We can also fit a pressure limiting valve if your incoming pressure is running high, which extends the life of every fitting in the house.