With A Carolina Locksmith, we frequently get questions from Raleigh area home and business owners, one of the most asked questions we get is:
“Should I Change My Locks or Get Them Rekeyed?”
In this post, we’ll go over why it is important that you should get your locks rekeyed rather than replaced.
What is Rekeying a Lock
Rekeying a lock is a simple process of making a different key work in the same lock by going into the inside of the lock and changing the inner pins and springs of the lock. After the lock is rekeyed, the old key will no longer work on that lock.
Read on to learn why rekeying your locks is important.
Access Control
- Ensure that you and the ones you trust are the only ones with a key to your home or business
Lost Keys
- Whether they fall in a lake or a child loses a set of keys, accidents do happen. Rekeying the lock would be a practical solution to ensuring that your home is safe and secure.
After a Break-In
- After the police report has been filed, it is suggested that you rekey your locks even if there were no signs of forced entry.
Change in Relationship
- Divorces and break-ups can be a difficult situation. Have peace of mind with a new key for your locks.
Change of Residence
- It is recommended that your locks be rekeyed if you have moved into a new home, apartment, condominium, or townhome.
Employee Turnover
- Locks should be rekeyed when a new manager is hired or when a former employee is still in possession of a key.
New Tenant
- If you are a property manager, you know how difficult it can be to know exactly how many copies of a key that the former tenant has made. Rekeying locks with each new tenant will protect the current resident and anyone else living inside the home from any unwelcome guests.
Community Pool
- One of the most overlooked keys that property managers control is the keys to the community pool. Pool keys are often lost and copied so many times that there is no true control of who has access to the pool. Property managers have begun to rekey the lock on the pool gate on an annual basis to reduce unwanted access.
Mail Keys
- Consider rekeying your mailbox if you live in a community that has a postal location in your community where you pick up your mail.
Problems with Your Existing Keys
- When trying to unlock your locks on your home or business, turning the key should be smooth and you should not have to jiggle the key.
Lock mechanisms wear down and degrade over time
- No matter what the cause, keys will eventually break down the components inside the lock.
When Should You Replace Your Locks?
Replacing the locks in your Raleigh home or business is the process of completely removing the lock hardware and replacing it with a new lock. This option is a choice for some if they encounter some of the following situations:
Broken Lock
- When a lock is broken beyond repair, you should replace the entire lock
Style
- Many people choose to change their locks for aesthetic reasons, preferring a modern design of a lock with a handle over the style of the lock with a knob.
Increased Security
- Different locks provide different levels of security and protection.
Contact Your Local Locksmith
No matter the situation, The locksmith experts at A Carolina Locksmith can help you decide whether or not rekeying or replacing your locks is right for you.