Rekey vs. Changing your locks
If you ever moved into a new place, lost your house keys, or had to fire an angry employee, you’ve probably been in a situation where you considered changing your locks. Most people are not aware that instead of changing their locks, there is a much better, and often cheaper solution – re-keying them. In this article, I’m going to explain what does it mean to “re-key” a lock, and more importantly – when should you rekey your locks rather than change them. When it comes to the debate of rekey vs. changing your locks, understanding the difference is crucial. Why is this important you ask? Because it can save you quite a lot of money every year. Some locksmiths take advantage of the fact that people are not informed about the differences and instead of explaining the different options to the customer, they choose the more expensive option for them.
The Basics of Rekeying
For those that don’t know what racing is, not to worry. Many folks outside of the Locksmithing and real estate professionals haven’t heard of this option. Rekeying, in a nutshell, is making an existing lock work like a brand new lock without replacing the hardware. For racing, a locksmith will pull out the tumbler — the part of the lock your key turns — and changes the pins inside. They then replace the tumbler with the existing lock hardware. This makes the lock require a different key than any that previously turned it. Whether you’re moving into a new home or you want to boost your business’s security, this is a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to get that security boost.
When should you change your locks?
- You want your locks to be in a different color or design. For example, if you moved into a new place and your locks are old and rusted, you may want to get a new, nicer-looking lock.
- When you want to upgrade your security and change your locks to high-security locks or electronic locks.
- If you have locks of different brands on your house and you want them all to work on the same key, you will need to change some locks so that all your locks will be of the same brand (or have the same type of keyway), only then you can re-key them all to one key.
When should you Rekey?
The 2 most common scenarios to Rekey your locks are:
1. If you are happy with your locks, but want to change the key so that the old key won’t work anymore. For example:
- If you moved into a new place and don’t know who else has the key.
- Lost a copy of your key and afraid someone may find it.
- Want to prevent from someone who has the key to enter.
2. When you have different keys for different locks and you want them all to match one single key. (given that all the locks are of the same brand or keyhole
In cases where you have one or more locks installed, but don’t have the key for them at all, you will need to compare the price of a new lock versus rekeying them without a key (which requires extra labor) and make an informed decision as to what is more cost-effective. Only in cases where picking the lock and rekeying it is more expensive than the price of a new lock, you should change it.
Note that when getting your locks changed, the locksmith should be able to supply you with at least a few locks with a matching key. Most hardware stores also have the option to match your locks for free upon purchase.
Rekey vs. Changing your locks
Can you do it yourself?
Rekeying a lock doesn’t only require learning and practice, but also requires you to have the right tools, which are quite expensive. A professional pinning kit to rekey most locks costs around $250, which is well over the price of 10 new basic locks. Another thing to keep in mind is that if you try to change a lock yourself and fail, there isn’t much damage you can do to the lock, but unsuccessfully trying to rekey a lock will almost always ruin it completely. Rekey vs. Changing your locks
Some newer types of locks offer the option to rekey them easily, at home without having to take them apart or call a locksmith. These locks, such as the Kwikset smart key and Schlage SecureKey are becoming more and more popular as the technology improves, however they still have some flaws. So if rekeying a lock isn’t something you do often, I recommend leaving your regular locks on your door for now. Rekey vs. Changing your locks
Are you looking to get your locks changed or rekeyed? We offer lock change and rekey service all across the US, 24 hours a day. Give us a call and we’ll send one of our professional locksmiths in Tulsa your way.
Call us now to set up a consultation – 5394446069
Rekey vs. Changing your locks
