When to Rekey vs. Changing Locks

When you move, lose your keys or simply want to restrict access to your home, you don’t necessarily have to entirely change your lock! Instead, rekeying the lock is a cheaper and easier alternative.

Here’s a quick look at the process of rekeying locks in Toledo, OH and when it makes sense to do so.

The process

Rather than swapping out an entire lock, rekeying involves just changing the working key of the lock to a different key while keeping the lock in place. You just have to replace the tumblers inside the lock, rather than all of the hardware.

Every series of tumblers (or key pins) in the lock corresponds to a specific key. When you replace those pins, you’ll also get a new key to operate the lock. This is a pretty simple procedure that doesn’t take very long at all to accomplish, so long as you have the right tools on hand.

Keep in mind that you’ll need to have the current matching key to be able to rekey the lock in Toledo, OH. Otherwise, the only way to rekey the lock will be to pick it open. This will likely cost you some extra money. But in general, rekeying is a much cheaper option than changing out your locks, because it costs less to simply purchase new key pins than to purchase an entirely new lock.

When to rekey

There are several scenarios in which it makes sense to rekey rather than changing the lock.

You might be happy with the locks you currently have, but simply want to swap out the key. For example, this is especially beneficial if you have an old house with original lock hardware that’s in good condition. It can be nice to preserve those old locks to maintain the character of the house. It’s also good for if you’ve recently moved into a new place and don’t know who else might have a copy of the old keys (such as a friend or relative of the former owners), or if you’ve lost a copy of your keys and are worried someone else might find them.

In addition, if you’ve given your keys to someone else who you no longer want to have access to the property, rekeying is a low-cost way of making sure they no longer have the ability to get in.

Another situation in which rekeying is a sensible alternative to changing the locks is if you have different keys for different locks on your property and you’d rather have them all match to a single key. This makes sense, for example, if you want the front and back door of a house to be accessible with the same key.

Changing the locks is really more beneficial if the locks are old and rusted, or you want to make sure all of the hardware in your home matches. It can also help you add on additional security features.

For more information about rekeying versus changing damaged locks in Toledo, OH, contact Toledo Lock & Key LLC today to speak with a skilled locksmith.

Categorised in: Lock and Key

This post was written by Writer