HOUSE LOCK REKEY
THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN REKEYING YOUR LOCK
Lock rekeying can be a very simple and cost-effective route, depending on your ultimate security goal. However, it is important to understand that it is not always a viable option. If you would like to rekey your locks so that all your locks work with a single key, but all your locks are different brands with different keyways, or keyholes, then this might not be possible for most conventional locks. Your locks would most likely have to be changed and rekeyed to one key in this case.
The condition of the lock will also be a determining factor of whether or not it can be rekeyed. Damaged locks that are beyond repair will probably not be good candidates for a lock rekey.
Our professional locksmiths can do a complementary inspection of your locks upon their arrival and determine if rekeying is feasible.
LOCK REKEY PROCESS
A lock rekey is usually a much quicker process than a lock replacement. Most door locks are of the pin tumbler variety. These locks have pins of varying lengths that are arranged in a specific order. This arrangement will match the grooves of a particular key shape. A rekey involves changing these pins so that it matches a different key shape, which will make the old key inoperable.
During the lock rekey process, the lock cylinder assembly is removed from the lock and disassembled so that the pins can be accessed. The old pins are then removed and discarded, and the new pins are inserted. The new pins will have a different arrangement that will coincide with a new key.
WHY REKEY LOCKS?
There are several reasons why you might want to rekey your locks. If you lost a set of keys to your home and you would like to make sure that nobody gains access to them and potentially your home, rekeying your locks will help alleviate that concern by essentially rendering those lost keys unusable.
Another scenario that would warrant this type of service is if someone with access to your home keys should no longer have them. A lock rekey will not only cancel their keys to your home, but it will also save you the time and hassle of trying to retrieve those key copies.
Rekeying your locks can also minimize the number of keys you carry around with you by rekeying all your locks to a single key. Having a single key for all your locks will not only reduce the amount of keys that you have to keep, but it will also save you time on searching for the right key when unlocking and locking your door.
LOCK REKEY VERSUS LOCK CHANGE
Deciding on whether to rekey or change your lock will ultimately depend on what you are trying to achieve. A lock rekey is a much quicker, simpler and cheaper process than replacing an entire lock. If your only goal is to simply change the keys to the lock and your lock is in decent shape, then a lock rekey will be the more practical option.
However, if your main objective is to upgrade the security of your home with a higher grade lock, a lock replacement would be the logical solution. Changing the lock would also be the sensible choice if your lock is damaged and cannot be repaired or if you have made some home improvements and would like to change the color or design of the locks.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO REKEY A LOCK?
Rekeying a lock is typically a very straightforward and quick process. It generally takes about 10 - 15 minutes to rekey a lock under normal circumstances. However, this time estimate can vary depending on the condition and type of lock that we are rekeying.