Sanur Villa Inspection Checklist: What to Check Monthly

Living in a Sanur villa means dealing with salt air, monsoon downpours, and PDAM or well water that quietly corrodes fittings over time. A short monthly walk-around catches small problems before they become expensive repairs. Here is a checklist you can work through in under an hour, section by section.

Water

Start at every tap – kitchen, bathroom, outdoor shower. Turn each on briefly and watch for drips after closing. In Sanur's humidity even a slow drip leaves mineral rings within a week, so you will spot them fast.

Check the rooftop tank lid is sealed and the float valve isn't stuck open. If your villa runs off a well, listen to the pump: a constant hum when no tap is running usually means a leak somewhere in the line.

Under sinks, look for damp patches or green corrosion on brass fittings. PDAM water in older villas can be slightly acidic and eats thread joints faster than expected.

• Wipe dry around the water-heater inlet and outlet; any rust streak means the gasket needs replacing soon.
• Open the drain valve on the pressure-reducing valve once a month to flush sediment.
• If you notice a sudden drop in pressure, check whether the main PDAM isolation valve has shifted.

Drainage and Sewer

Run water into every floor drain and gully – bathroom, laundry, outdoor shower area. They should clear within seconds. A slow one often means a hair or leaf blockage that will get worse during the rainy season.

Walk outside and check the septic-tank access points. You should not smell sewage near them. A persistent odour suggests the tank is full or a pipe has cracked, and it is time to call someone out before monsoon floods the yard.

Make sure the overflow pipe discharges away from the foundation and isn't blocked by overgrown vegetation.

• During November–March re-check all external drains after each heavy storm.
• Keep a small plunger or drain snake in the utility room for quick fixes.
• If water backs up into a lower-level bathroom, stop using that fixture and call a professional immediately.

Pool

Test chlorine and pH with strips before swimming. In Sanur's heat free chlorine drops fast on sunny days; aim for 1–3 ppm. If the water looks cloudy, run the filter longer rather than adding more chemicals.

Inspect the ladder, handrails, and stainless-steel fittings. The sea breeze off the Indian Ocean accelerates corrosion here, so check for pitting or greenish staining monthly.

Walk the perimeter and look at tile joints. Small cracks let water behind the coping and can damage the structure over time.

Safety rule: never mix different pool chemicals – especially chlorine-based products with acids or ammonia. Fumes can be dangerous. If you are unsure about dosing, stop and ask your technician to walk you through it.

• Clean the skimmer basket and pump strainer every two weeks.
• Check the backwash valve position after each cleaning cycle.
• Look under the pump lid for oil leaks if it is an oil-lubricated model.

Roof

Climb up only if you have a safe, stable ladder and dry conditions – otherwise inspect from below. Look at ceilings in every room for new stains, especially after the first heavy rains of the season.

From the ground scan the roofline for lifted or missing tiles, sagging sections, or moss build-up. Old Sanur villas often have clay-tile roofs that shift over years; even one loose tile can let a monsoon downpour soak the plaster.

Clear leaves and debris from gutters and downpipes. A blocked gutter overflows onto the wall and eventually erodes the mortar joints.

• Before the rainy season (around October) do a full roof check or get one done professionally.
• If you see daylight through any gap in the eaves, flag it now rather than waiting for rain.
• Check that downpipe brackets are still tight; salt air weakens zinc and steel fixings.

Doors and Windows

Open and close every door and window slowly. Listen for grinding, feel for sticking points. In the humidity timber frames swell slightly in wet months and shrink in dry ones, so what was fine in March may bind by December.

Inspect hinges, locks, and sliding-door rollers. Tighten any loose screws and wipe rust off metal parts with a dry cloth. The coastal air here is hard on iron and untreated aluminium.

Check rubber seals around windows and the condition of mosquito nets. Torn nets let in sand and salt particles that scratch glass over time.

• Lubricate sliding-door tracks with a silicone spray twice a year.
• Replace any hinge pin that feels gritty or shows visible corrosion.
• Make sure external doors latch fully; a half-closed door is an easy entry point.

Electrical – Visual Check Only

This section is strictly visual. Do not open consumer units, touch live terminals, or test sockets with your fingers. If you see anything concerning, stop and call a licensed electrician.

Walk through each room looking at switch plates, socket covers, and light fittings. Yellowing, scorch marks, or a faint burning smell near an outlet are red flags for overheating connections.

Outdoors, check that garden lights, pool lighting, and exterior sockets have proper IP-rated covers and are not sitting in standing water after rain. Water plus electricity near a pool is a serious hazard – if a fitting looks damaged, isolate it at the breaker before using the pool again.

• Note any flickering lights or outlets that feel warm to the back of your hand.
• Keep a short log of which breakers trip and when; a pattern helps the electrician diagnose faster.
• If you ever smell gas anywhere in the villa, leave immediately, do not operate switches, and call a professional from outside.

Questions