10 Ways to Prevent Home Emergencies (Before They Happen)

Home emergencies can strike without warning. 

They can be stressful, messy, and expensive. 

However, most are easy to prevent with regular care and some basic knowledge.

Here are 10 practical tips to keep your home running smoothly.

1. Know where your stopcock is

The stopcock is the main valve that shuts off all water coming into your home. If a pipe bursts, turning it off stops water flow in seconds.

Many homeowners don’t know where their stopcock is located. Most stopcocks sit:

• Under the kitchen sink
• In a hallway cupboard
• Near the front door.

Locate your stopcock and show every adult (and teenager!) in your home where it is and how to turn it off.

You should test the handle annually, too. Turn the valve off and on once a year to stop the mechanism from seizing up with rust.

2. Keep your drains clear

Debris from food, soap, hair, and more can build up inside waste pipes over time, creating bad smells and potential blockages.

So, preventing clogged drains can be done with daily habits:

• Fit a mesh hair trap over your shower and bath drains to catch loose hair. Empty it weekly.
• Once a month, pour a kettle of boiling water down your kitchen sink after washing up to keep cooking grease moving down the pipe. (Doing it more often may damage PVC pipes.)
• Never flush baby wipes, sanitary products, or paper towels down the toilet.
   

3. Insulate your pipes

Cold winter weather freezes water inside exposed pipes. As water turns to ice, it expands and splits metal or plastic pipes, leading to flooding when the ice thaws.

Fit pipe lagging onto outdoor pipes and ones running through unheated lofts, garages, or cellars.

This lagging is simply a cheap foam tube insulation available at hardware stores. 

Pay close attention to your boiler condensate pipe. This is the plastic tube that carries waste water outside from your boiler. When it freezes your boiler will stop working.

4. Service your boiler annually

Boiler breakdowns leave your home without heating and hot water. An annual boiler check stops minor issues from turning into ones.

A standard gas boiler service costs between £80 and £120 and takes 45 to 60 minutes.

A Gas Safe registered engineer will check internal parts, test safety controls, and measure gas emissions. They confirm that your boiler operates safely and efficiently without leaking harmful fumes.

5. Maintain your electrical system

Electrical faults cause power cuts and fire risks. Simple steps keep your home wiring and appliances safe:

• Book an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) every 10 years (if you own your home) 5 years (if you are a landlord).
• Avoid plugging several high-draw appliances into a single extension lead.
• Check appliances after fuse box switch trips. Unplug immediately any that smell of burning or have sparks.

6. Clean your gutters and downpipes

Gutters collect fallen leaves, moss, and dirt over time. When they clog, rainwater overflows and runs down your outside walls. This can lead to interior damp, damaged plaster, and rotting roof timber.

Clear your gutters twice a year. Once in late autumn after leaves have fallen, and once in late spring. 

Check the vertical pipes that carry rainwater to ground drains (downpipes) for blockages, too.

You can either pour water down them or wait until its raining to check that they are working (i.e., that water is flowing out of them).

7. Take care when doing DIY

Accidentally drilling into a hidden water pipe or electric cable is one of the most common causes of DIY home emergencies.

Before drilling or hammering anything into walls, use a stud sensor (an electronic hand-held tool that detects hidden metal pipes and electrical wires behind plasterboard). 

Scan the area, mark safe spots with a pencil, and don’t drill directly above or below light switches and plug sockets.

8. Know how to isolate your gas supply

A gas leak is a major safety hazard. Knowing how to turn off your gas supply is vital for protecting your family and your home.

Locate your gas meter and find the main gas isolation valve. It sits on the pipe next to the meter.

To turn it off, turn the lever so it sits at a right angle to the pipe.

What to do if you have a gas leak 

• Do not flip electrical switches
• Get everyone out of the property (immediately) 
• Open doors and windows
• Call the Gas Emergency Helpline on 0800 111 999. 

9. Manage damp and condensation

Moisture in the air creates black mould, damages wall plaster, and can rot wooden floor joists (the horizontal timber beams supporting your floors). Having it in your home is also bad for your health.

Ventilate your home by opening windows or running extractor fans whilst cooking, showering, or bathing.

Avoid drying wet washing on radiators without opening a nearby window, or using a dehumidifier. 

Check your roof tiles, window frames, and outside walls once a year for cracks or damp patches.

10. Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

With no hidden fees and coverage across England, Scotland, and Wales, we’ve got you covered.

Working alarms give your family vital early warning during an emergency. 

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous, colourless, and odourless gas produced by faulty gas boilers, gas fires, stoves, or log burners. It causes around 50 deaths and 4,000 hospital visits in the UK every year.

Fit a carbon monoxide alarm in every room that contains a gas appliance or open fire. 

Press the test button on your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms every month. Replace alarm batteries once a year, and replace the complete alarm unit every 7 to 10 years.

What to do if a carbon monoxide alarm sounds 

• Do not re-enter the property until an engineer confirms it is safe.
• Get everyone out of the house into fresh air immediately. 
• Call the Gas Emergency Helpline on 0800 111 999
• Warn your neighbours

Get home emergency cover with Hometree

Our home emergency cover includes unlimited repairs, an annual boiler service, zero parts & labour charges, and 24/7 claims support to keep your home warm. Subject to exclusions and T&Cs apply.

You can get covered today or contact us for a free quote.