8 Things You Need to Do to Your New Naperville Home Before Moving In

Congratulations on buying your new Naperville home! Now that you are ready to move in, you are almost ready to relax – but not yet. Before the novelty of being a homeowner wears off, you still have important changes to make before you can move in! Here are 8 things you need to do to your Naperville home:

1. Switch out the locks. Whether by rekeying or replacing the locks on all doors entirely, it’s good to have this done first once you have the keys. That way, there is never any question of who can have access to your home – including contractors or even the previous owners. Fixing or changing the locks will give you more peace of mind, as well as a chance to know exactly what keys are in your possession and make the copies you need right away without putting them off for later.

2. Review the home inspection report. Knowing ahead of time if there are any issues that need to be fixed gives you the opportunity to have them handled before you have furniture in the way.

3. Put fresh batteries in alarms. Before even moving into your Naperville home, change the batteries in the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. That way, you can start keeping track of when next you will want to change them again in six months or up to a year from now.

4. Get familiar with the fuse box. The main circuit breaker, or fuse box, controls all electrical outlets and switches within your home. Orient yourself with it while it’s still daylighted out, making sure it is clearly labeled before you have to fumble around to reset a breaker at random in the dark or during inclement weather.

5. Complete caulking throughout the house. It’s so much easier for homeowners to check for every little section of a home that needs to be (re)sealed when there’s no furniture to move around.

6. Fix the plumbing or any existing leaks. Water issues of any kind can hold you up from daily tasks, but also cause worse problems if left unattended. If you need the help of a contractor, now is the time to take care of repair work so you don’t risk having damage to your possessions or the rest of the house.

7. Create an emergency plan. As you walk from room to room, decide how you would escape from them in an emergency. If there are any issues in being able to do so safely, or if you need to make improvements in that area in some way, you can take care of it before you actually move into your Naperville home.

8. Keep the gutters clean. Since you never know how long ago that was done by the previous homeowners, the gutters ought to be inspected and cleaned when moving in. This will ensure there are no rotted leaves, stuck trash, or dead animals in the gutters – all of which can cause smells or affect drainage.