When you change your locks, you have two options. You can rekey your locks or change the locks on your door entirely. The question is, should you do one over the other? Changing your locks may seem like a scary task, but it doesn’t have to be. In this blog post, we’ll take you through the main differences between rekeying and changing your locks so you can have an informed decision before deciding which one to get.
What is Rekeying?
Rekeying is the process of altering a lock’s keyway to accept more than one key. Rekeying combines old and new keys to give you more control over who has access to your home. If your keys are lost or stolen, rekeying can be used as a cost-effective replacement.
If you need to rekey your locks, you should know that it’s a simple process and can be done in about an hour. The process of rekeying locks is not the same as changing locks. Rekeying requires only an adjustment to the internal mechanism of the lock while changing locks involves replacing them altogether.
The main difference between changing your locks and rekeying them is that when you change your locks, you must replace them entirely with new ones. However, if you simply want to make a few tweaks to your existing locks without having to buy new ones, it is possible to rekey them instead. This process allows homeowners to create new keys for their doors without having to replace any part of the lock itself.
How Does Rekeying a Lock Work?
There are two main reasons why people rekey or change their locks. The first is because they have lost or misplaced their keys. The second is to give new tenants or visitors who will be entering the home access to the building.
Rekeying is a very common practice in the security industry, and it is often confused with changing a lock. But rekeying needs some clarification since it is not as self-explanatory as “changing a lock,” which simply means replacing an old lock with a new one. Rekeying a lock entails switching out the lock’s operational key for a different key without changing the lock itself. To put it another way, the lock remains in place, but the previous key no longer works. This is accomplished by disassembling the lock and changing a few internal components, referred to as “tumblers” or “key pins”.
If you’re worried about security, you may want to consider changing your locks. Rekeying a lock does not compromise the lock’s security and does not increase it. How many pins are within a lock is one of the things that makes it secure. The lock will continue to be as secure as it was before as long as the locksmith replaces the old 5 pins with 5 new ones. Changing your locks with new, higher security ones will be the best option if you want to increase the security of your locks.
Rekeying allows you to change which key opens your door without having to replace or install a new lock. This is perfect if you have lost or damaged your keys or if you just want to give other people access to your home without giving them a key that could potentially be copied by someone else who wants access to your home as well.
Rekeying is nearly usually less expensive than having your locks changed because of how inexpensive the key pins in the locks are. When you have your locks rekeyed, you simply pay for the work, however, when you have your locks replaced, you pay for both the labor and the components.
If you’re looking to save money and time, rekeying is definitely a great option. It may even be a better option for businesses that have multiple buildings or locations as well. With rekeying, you can keep all of your existing keys and use them with all of your buildings/locations – saving time and money!
When Is It Time To Rekey?
The following 2 situations need rekeying locks:
- If you are happy with your locks but want to change the key so that the old key won’t work anymore, then you should change your locks. If you are unhappy with your locks, then the best way to fix this is by rekeying them.
In both cases, you will need to remove the lock cylinder from the door and take it to a locksmith to have them fix it for you. This is because most of the time when people say “change my lock”, what they really mean is “replace my lock” completely.
Changing a lock means removing the old one and replacing it with a new one. Replacing a lock means removing both sides of the door and replacing them with new ones. This is especially true if your deadbolt is in need of replacement as well as your cylinder lock or vice versa. This job should be done by a professional since there are many other parts involved besides just the deadbolt or just the cylinder lock itself.
- When you want all of your locks to match a single key but you have a variety of keys for them, you need to rekey. Rekeying is the process of changing the pins inside the lock so that only one key will work.
If you’re only changing one or two locks and don’t have any extras, then it’s best to skip rekeying and just change the locks. The cost of changing a lock is usually less than rekeying it, and there’s no need to buy new keys if you don’t currently have any duplicates.
If you have more than one lock that needs to be changed, then rekeying could save money over buying new locks. You’ll have to purchase new keys, but they’ll probably be cheaper than replacing all of your locks.
When Should Locks Be Modified?
- You must alter some locks so that all of your locks are of the same brand or have the same sort of keyway before you can re-key them all to one key. Especially if your home has locks of various brands and you want them to operate on the same key. This is because different manufacturers use different methods to create their keys, which means they won’t open each other’s locks unless they’re forced to do so.
- If you want to improve your security and switch to high-security or computerized locks, changing your locks is the better option. You’ll get new keys for each entry point into your home, which will make it more difficult for intruders to gain access.
- You prefer a different color or pattern for your locks. For instance, if you have moved into a new home and your locks are rusty and old, you might want to replace them with new ones that seem finer.
Some more modern lock types allow you to quickly rekey them at home without taking them apart or calling a locksmith. These locks, like the Schlage SecureKey and Kwikset SmartKey, are becoming more popular as technology advances, but they still have certain drawbacks. Therefore, if rekeying a lock isn’t something you do frequently, I advise leaving your door’s standard locks in place for the time being.
Make sure your home is as secure as possible by calling USA Lock & Key in Las Vegas! We can provide you with suggestions on the best locks to use, how to maintain your locks, and more. Feel free to contact us right away if you don’t want to take any chances with your home’s security.
