An Indonesian three-minister decree sets 24 December 2026 as the Christmas collective leave day. Add Christmas itself on Friday 25 December and the weekend, and the break runs four days, 24 to 27 December. A week later New Year's Day, 1 January 2027, falls on a Friday and opens another three days off through 3 January. Plenty of families in North Bekasi will travel twice in one month.
Our earlier piece on leaving home for Idul Adha was about security, since that break fell in the dry season. December is different. The bigger risks are water and electricity, not intruders. Nobody is home when a gutter overflows at 2 a.m., and nobody flips the breaker back up after a lightning strike.
1. The panel: test the ELCB, don't switch everything off
Heavy rain with lightning often trips the MCB or ELCB. If the main switch drops while you're out of town, the fridge goes dead and a full freezer can spoil within two to three days. Before you leave, press the test button on the ELCB and confirm the switch resets normally. If it has been tripping for no clear reason, get an electrician to look before the holiday, not after. We cover causes and how to trace a leak current in the guide to MCB and ELCB tripping in the rain.
Unplug the TV, router, chargers, water dispenser and iron. Plugged-in electronics take the first hit from a power surge in a storm. Leave the fridge running. If you're away more than a week, empty the freezer or hand the contents to a neighbor.
2. Gutters and roof: clear them before the sky turns
A gutter full of leaves starts overflowing with the first hard rain. Water runs down the wall, seeps into the ceiling, and shows up as a brown stain once you're back. Climb up with a ladder, pull out the leaves and moss, then run a hose to confirm the water reaches the downpipe. If you can't do it yourself, a handyman finishes in a couple of hours. Once the wet season passes, a roof leak audit checks the tile joints and ridge.
3. The roof deck and its floor drain
A two-storey house with a flat roof deck or drying area has one weak point people rarely check: the drain hole in the floor. Leaves, plastic and sand block it. Rain then pools on the deck and finds its way through any hairline crack. Clean the drain cover, then pour a bucket of water to test the flow. If the water clears in seconds, the deck is fine to leave.
4. Windows, laundry and awnings
- Close and lock every upstairs window. Wind that comes with rain can swing open a sash that was only hooked.
- Bring in the laundry, porch cushions and light pots. Loose items fly and damage awnings or glass.
- Close the washing machine tap and the main water valve if you're gone more than three days.
5. Damp inside a sealed house
A house locked tight for seven days in the rainy season holds moisture. Clothes in the wardrobe, shoes and fabric sofas become places for mold. Before you leave, open wardrobe doors a few centimeters, put in a moisture absorber, and don't leave wet towels in the bathroom. One more thing people forget: make sure the bathroom floor drain isn't clogged, so sewer smell doesn't come up. Bathroom ventilation has its own guide.
6. Leave a contact: who can get in if it leaks
One neighbor who has your number and knows where the electrical panel is will help you more than any camera when water gets in. Leave three things: your phone number, the number of the estate management or gate security, and one person allowed to open the door. Show that person where the main breaker and the main water valve are. In a serious leak they can shut both off within a minute.
How long you're away, and what to do
| Time away | Must do | Add |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 days | Test the ELCB, unplug electronics, close upstairs windows | Leave your contact with one neighbor |
| 4–7 days | All of the above, plus clear gutters and the deck drain | Close the washing machine tap, set out a moisture absorber |
| More than 7 days | All of the above, plus empty the freezer | Schedule someone to check the house every 3–4 days |
Easy to miss: photograph the panel, each bedroom ceiling and the wall under the gutter before you go. If a new stain shows up when you return, the photo gives your handyman, and a home insurer if needed, something to compare against.
Why a new unit is easier to check
A new house is easier to check because its pipes, panel and roof are not yet worn. Ask the developer about the building maintenance period before you sign the sales agreement, so you know where to report a leak in the first months. The Emerald 70 at Kingspoint (land 47.25 m2, building 70 m2, two storeys) sits on Jl. Raya Perjuangan, North Bekasi, an area not considered flood-prone. A single-gate estate with 24-hour security also keeps that layer of protection running while you're away. Ready stock, installments from Rp 5 million a month.
So do all six before 24 December, not the night before the flight. Two hours on a weekend is enough.
Want to see the roof, deck and panel of the Emerald 70 in person?
The Kingspoint team can schedule a visit and walk you through the points covered in this article over WhatsApp.
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