When you buy a home, one of the first tasks you should do is rekey all the locks. In fact, real estate agents recommend you have the locks rekeyed before you begin moving your belongings into your new home. The reason why is simple; home security. You simply cannot be sure who may still have extra key copies. The previous homeowners may have forgot about the spare keys they handed out to a contractor, neighbor, house cleaner, dog walker, friend or family member. First Lock & Security Technologies delves more into this topic below.
Rekeying VS Changing Locks
In a nutshell, the process of re-keying locks involves a locksmith changing the pin tumblers inside the locking mechanism, which renders an old key or set of keys unusable. To change (or replace) the locks, a locksmith needs to physically remove each door lock’s hardware (including the cylinder, bolt and doorknob etc) and replace the components with new hardware.
When Should I Rekey the Door Locks
Keep in mind, there is a distinction between rekeying and changing locks. Most new homeowners will opt to re-key locks that are in good condition as this is less complicated and cheaper than upgrading to brand new locks. If your home has multiple exterior doors, the cost to replace the hardware on all of them adds up. While some situations may call for changing locks, re-keying the locks when a home changes hands is ultimately just as secure.
When Should I Change My Door Locks?
There are a few instances when changing out your door locks is a smarter choice than rekeying. For example:
Change Locks on an Older House: In older homes, the door locks often will be older too, or possibly even the original hardware. If the locks are showing signs of wear and tear, changing them is a good idea.
Different Brands of Door Locks: You may discover that the home you bought different hardware brands on the front, back, and even the side doors. If this is the case, you not only have to carry multiple keys, you also have to keep track of which key opens which door. Changing the locks for keying compatibility allows you to use the same key for all doors.
Upgrade to Electronic Locks: Would you prefer not to have to keep track of keys? Upgrading to electronic locks AKA smart or digital locks can be the solution and even offer the benefit of remotely locking or unlocking doors and monitoring their use.
Professional Locksmith Services in San Mateo, Belmont, San Carlos, Redwood City, Woodside, Portola Valley, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, Stanford, Mountain View, Los Altos Hills, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Campbell, Saratoga, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, San Jose, Milpitas & Los Altos, California
First Lock & Security Technologies can inspect your locks and advise as to whether rekeying or changing the locks is best for your needs. Call us to ensure you are the only one that has keys to your new place today because until you update the locks, you just don’t know who has a copy of the keys!
