The cyclone season call I remember most clearly was a burst external fitting in Yeppoon — not actually caused by the storm itself, but by a homeowner trying to shut off the water at the meter after flooding started, discovering the valve was seized solid, and the situation getting worse while they sorted it out. The valve hadn't been turned in years. It would have taken 20 minutes to identify and service before the season. Instead it was a 10pm callout in the middle of a storm event.

Storm season on the Capricorn Coast runs November through April. It brings heavy rainfall, strong winds, and the kind of flooding that finds every weakness in your drainage and your plumbing. Most of the problems I see in the weeks after a major rain event were preventable with an hour of preparation beforehand.

Here's what's actually worth doing before the wet season arrives.

Confirm Your Main Shutoff Valve Works

This comes first because it's the most important and the one most people skip.

Your main water shutoff valve cuts all water coming into the property. If a pipe bursts during a storm, if flooding brings contaminated water into your system, or if you need to isolate the supply for any reason — this is the valve you need. Find it. Confirm it turns. Confirm everyone in your household knows where it is.

In most Yeppoon homes it's at the water meter, usually in a small box set into the ground near the front boundary fence. In some homes there's also one on an external wall.

Older valves — particularly gate valves with round handles — can seize after years of not being operated. If yours is stiff or won't fully close, get it serviced or replaced before November. It's a cheap job and the kind of thing that makes a real difference when you actually need it.

Clear Your Gutters and Downpipes

Blocked gutters overflow during heavy rain, and that water goes somewhere — usually into your roof cavity, behind your fascia boards, or down your external walls. The damage from prolonged water ingress through a clogged gutter is significant and slow to show up.

Check that gutters are clear of leaf debris, particularly if you have large trees near the house. Confirm downpipes are draining water away from the building, not pooling at the base of the wall. A downpipe that drains onto a slab or directly against the foundation is a minor thing to redirect and a slow-building problem if you don't.

Check Your Stormwater Drains

Stormwater drains around your property — the grates in your driveway, garden, and hardstand areas — collect debris over the dry season. Silt, leaves, and garden mulch can partially block them so they look fine but can't handle a major rain event.

Lift the grates and clear the sumps before the wet season. A blocked stormwater drain during a downpour will overflow and direct water toward your house rather than away from it. It's the kind of thing that's a 10-minute job in October and a flooding problem in January.

Inspect External Tap Fittings and Connections

The salt air on the Capricorn Coast accelerates corrosion on outdoor metalwork. A tap fitting that's been slowly corroding for a couple of dry seasons can fail under the increased water pressure and movement that comes with heavy rain and temperature swings.

Check outdoor taps, hose connections, and any exposed pipe joints for rust, weeping, or loose fittings. A minor drip that's been fine all winter can become a significant leak in wet season conditions. These are cheap to fix before they're a problem.

Check Your Hot Water System

Many hot water systems are installed outdoors or in areas exposed to weather — the side of the house, under a carport, in an external cabinet. Before storm season, check the system's external connections for corrosion, confirm the pressure relief valve outlet is clear and unobstructed, and look at the condition of the housing or enclosure.

If your system is getting older — say, 8 years or more — and you haven't had the anode rod checked, now is a reasonable time to have it looked at. An aging system that develops a fault mid-summer, after a storm event, when your ability to get parts quickly is uncertain, is a more stressful situation than dealing with it in October.

Know What to Do If You Have Flooding

If you get water inside the house during a storm:

Turn off the electricity at the main breaker if water is anywhere near power points, appliances, or your switchboard. This is not optional — wet switchboards are an electrocution risk.
Turn off the main water supply if you have any reason to think your supply pipes have been affected.
Don't use drainage — toilets, sinks, laundry — if you suspect the stormwater or sewer system is overwhelmed. Backed-up stormwater can enter the house through floor drains.
Move electrical items, valuables, and anything porous away from the affected area.

And call a licensed plumber if you're dealing with anything that involves your water supply, sewer, or drainage infrastructure — not just a general handyman or a builder.

Consider a Pre-Season Inspection

If your home is older, if you've had plumbing issues in the past wet season, or if you've bought a property that hasn't had a proper check in a while — a pre-storm plumbing inspection is a worthwhile investment.

An hour of inspection time identifies the things that are marginal before they become urgent. Slow stormwater drains, a tired hot water system, an outdoor fitting that won't survive another year — these are cheap to deal with in October. The same issues after a major rain event are often significantly more expensive and significantly more stressful.

Want a pre-storm inspection in Yeppoon or Rockhampton? Book a plumbing maintenance check — LTH Plumbing covers Yeppoon, Emu Park, Rockhampton, and the Capricorn Coast. Call 0455 869 383 or get a free quote.

How to Prepare Your Plumbing for Storm Season in Yeppoon