Rekeying Your Home : What You Should Know

If you have moved into a new house, apartment or office, if you have lost your keys or someone broke into your home, then it becomes very important to rekey your locks.

There could be thousands of scenarios where you might need to rekey. For example, if you can’t find one copy of the house key. If an old roommate hasn’t returned your keys. If you lost your keys recently. If you suspect someone has access to your locks. If someone broke into your house recently. You changed apartments. You’re not sure how many employees have the keys to your office. You are worried about the security of the premises because you notice items missing. Rekeying makes your office, house and premises safer and prevents unauthorised people from getting in.

What is rekeying?

Rekeying process is different than replacing the whole lock. A typical lock works when the right key slides into the lock and elevates the several pins loaded in the lock to the perfect height to be turned and opens the locking mechanism. In the rekeying process, the locksmith will change the pins, hence the grooves of the previous key will not be effective to open the lock anymore. A new key is then given to you, that you can open the lock with.

Which is better, rekey or changing the lock?

Rekeying is definitely easier than changing the whole lock. It doesn’t take hours, a professional locksmith can easily retrieve the cylinder of the lock, rekey it and insert it back in the lock. There are no hours of hammer noises, noisy machinery that needs to be used for rekeying your locks. You will find it much cheaper than having to replace the whole locking mechanism. Replacing the handles, the whole lock embedded in the door can take hours, multiple people, and resources to do the work right. Some locks take up a whole part of the lock and if you want to replace such doors you will have to replace the whole door, for rekeying you have to not do such a thing. Finally, changing the lock is only necessary when there is something physically wrong with the lock or if the lock is too old and needs to be replaced with a newer and more modern lock.

Can you do it yourself?

Yes, you can with rekey kits, however, the proficiency and headache will be a lot. You will have to read a lot of manuals, see a lot of youtube tutorials to know how to do it right. Getting the lock cylinder out of the door can be tricky without proper equipment, rekeying could be tricky as well without experience. You will have to keep in mind the correct rekeying ket is being used for the brand of lock you want to rekey, for that you will then need to figure out what type and lock model you have on each door. The small thing could take up your whole weekend. A professional locksmith doesn’t take a lot of money to rekey but the work will be quick and much more effective than doing it yourself.

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