Twenty minutes a year of plumbing checks can save you from finding a flooded laundry the day before you list the house. None of this is hard. None of it needs a plumber unless you find a problem. Here is the list.
Under every sink
Get a torch and look at the back of each cabinet. You are checking flexi hoses for rust spots, kinks, or weeping at the fittings. Flexi hoses are the number one cause of sudden house floods. They have a lifespan of around 10 years. If they look corroded or you cannot remember when they were installed, replace them now.
Check the P-trap (the U-bend under the sink) for drips or mineral buildup. Run the tap for a minute and watch the connections.
Toilets
The food colouring test catches silent cistern leaks. Put a few drops of food colouring in the cistern. Wait 15 minutes without flushing. If colour appears in the bowl, you have got a leak past the flush valve. Easy fix and saves a surprising amount of water per year.
Hot water system
Find the temperature pressure relief (TPR) valve on the side of your tank. There should be a small slow drip from the discharge pipe below it. If it is a steady stream, the valve has failed. If there is no drip at all, the valve may be seized. Either way, get it replaced. A failed TPR valve is a serious safety risk.
Check around the base of the tank for rust spots or pooling water. Sign of internal corrosion and the tank reaching end of life.
Water pressure
Rocky has a pressure-limiting valve (PLV) on most properties. They have a lifespan of around 10 years. Sudden low pressure throughout the house often means the PLV has failed and is over-restricting. Sudden high pressure can damage taps and hot water systems. Either way, get it checked.
Outdoor taps
Garden tap washers wear faster than indoor taps. Cheap to replace, often a DIY job. While you are outside, look for damp patches in the lawn that are not from rain. Can mean a leaking underground pipe.
Stormwater
Before storm season, run a garden hose into your roof gutters. Watch the downpipes and stormwater outlets. If water does not flow freely, you have got blockages to clear before the wet season hits.
That is the whole list
A Saturday morning's worth of checks saves you from most of the expensive surprises.