A very effective quick check is to walk through your home once a month looking specifically for signs of moisture – around sinks, toilets, under basins, near water heaters, along window sills and on ceilings. Tiny leaks and early damp spots are often missed in daily life, but they are responsible for a big share of expensive repairs later.
You’re not doing anything complicated. Just open cabinets, run your hand along pipes, look for discolouration, soft wood, swelling, peeling paint or a musty smell. If you catch a small drip or sweating pipe early, a plumber can usually fix it cheaply and quickly.
Ignored, that same leak can rot cabinets, grow mould, damage flooring and even affect neighbours in apartments. All of that turns into a much bigger bill and health risk. A five-minute “leak patrol” once a month is honestly one of the easiest habits you can adopt to protect your home.