Should You Rekey or Change Your Locks?

If you have lost your house, apartment, or office keys then you probably thought about changing your locks to make sure that anyone who might find your keys does not have access to your home or office. Also if you rent your house or have commercial space to rent then you are most likely changing the locks every time someone new moves in. This is because most people have not heard of rekeying their existing locks. Let me tell you why it is very important to know when to rekey your lock instead of changing the entire lock.

How is a Lock Rekeyed?

Changing your lock is where you simply remove the old lock and install a new lock that comes with new keys. Rekeying the lock on the other hand is done by taking out the lock cylinder and replacing the pins inside. Changing the order of key pins inside the lock cylinder will prevent your old keys from working on the lock. Now a new key can be made to match the new order of key pins. Do not worry if you have lost your keys because a professional locksmith can pick the lock and pull out the lock cylinder in order to rekey it.

Can My Lock Get Rekeyed?

All locks come with a built in lock cylinder that can be rekeyed so you don’t have to worry whether or not your locks can be rekeyed. The only difference is that some locks require different types of tools and take a bit longer to rekey.

Does Rekeying Make a Lock Less Secure?

The straight forward answer to this question is no, rekeying does not make a lock more or less secure then it was before. A locksmith will simple swap out the old pins with new pins without changing the original number of pins the lock has. For people who are concerned about security we would suggest buying a lock that uses more pins because the more pins a lock has the harder it is for intruders to pick open the lock.

Is It Cheaper to Rekey a Lock vs. Replacing It

Depending on the type of the lock rekey costs can vary from $21 – $32 dollars per lock. Considering that a new lock from Home Depot costs $35 – $279 it is often a better choice to get your locks rekeyed instead of changing it. However chances are you have more than one lock that needs to be replaced therefore buying new locks could cost hundreds of dollars. Therefore choosing to get your locks rekeyed is often a cheaper way to keep the same quality locks especially if you already like the quality and design of your current locks.

Can You Rekey Locks Yourself?
You can most certainly change out the locks yourself by simply using a screw driver. However things are not this simple when it comes to rekeying the lock. Rekeying a lock requires a
professional key pin set that costs between $250 – $350 dollars. A professional locksmith has this tool set along with new pins and they can cut a new key using the new pin set. Overall it is safe to say that you won’t be able to rekey a lock unless you have a professional rekeying tools and experience at changing out the pins inside the lock cylinder. It is also good to keep in mind that if you try to do it yourself without the proper tools then you will most likely end up breaking the lock. Contacting a local professional locksmith for your rekeying needs is the best option.

When You Should Rekey the Lock vs. Changing the Lock

If your lock is old and worn out then it’s better to just buy a new lock and replace your old one. Another reason to change out your locks would be to get a higher security lock such as the new electric key pad locks. It’s also a good idea to change the locks instead of rekeying when the locks in your house do not match therefore changing the locks so they all match. You should consider rekeying your locks when you want to match all the locks in the house to the same key so you don’t have to carry multiple keys. If you moved into a new house or apartment it’s probably best to get the locks rekeyed because you never know who might have else might have the keys. It is also a good idea to rekey your locks when you lose your keys to make sure that whoever finds it cannot enter your house! Another reason to rekey your locks instead of changing them is because it is almost always much cheaper to get the locks rekeyed.