Because a properly locked door is a homeowner’s first line of defense against burglars and other unwanted people, it is advisable to hire an experienced locksmith to professionally and securely rekey your home. There are many reasons for changing your locks. If for example you are not sure who has the keys to these locks, then the best defense against potential intrusion is to rekey the house. Other reasons include the following:
• You have lost your keys
• You have moved into a new home
• Your purse has been stolen and your keys were in it
• Your home has just been broken into
• You want to use a single key to open all doors in your home
• You have lost track of which service people, contractors, neighbors and friends have keys to your home
• Your current lock is a builder’s grade and you want to have something better
• Your current lock is temperamental or has become worn out
The difficulty of replacing or changing locks varies from one job to another. If door jambs or new holes are not needed in the door, then replacing the handset is a relatively straightforward job that can be handled by just about any local locksmith.
Rekeying versus replacing
If new holes are required, then the lock sets come with templates that fold over the door edge and locates the hole center. Regrettably, lock saws are not the commonest household tools, and if a homeowner happens to have one, it is only an expert with appropriate expertise can professionally use them. It can be really difficult to line up a lock saw to go straight through the door without the slightest angling. So it is recommended to hire a locksmith to tackle the complicated lock rekeying or replacement projects.
Can a homeowner rekey his own locks?
Before we get started, the process of changing the tumblers of a lock cylinder with others of different sizes is referred to as rekeying. If a lock is in a good shape, rekeying is a better option compared to replacing it. When a locksmith rekeys a lock, a new key which coincides with the new tumblers is required to open the door. If you are handy, you can buy a rekeying kit and rekey the lock yourself. Note however that rekeying kits are brand specific, meaning that you will need a kit for each brand of a lock installed in your home. Each kit comes with a set of keys, detailed rekeying instructions and the tools needed to complete the job. Apart from these, you will also need a needle-nose pliers and a screwdriver.
The process however is better done by an experienced locksmith as it requires appropriate expertise and specialist tools. Rekeying an old but working lock significantly lowers the costs when compared to a full replacement. To complete the job, the old key is required to take out the lock cylinder plug. A new key is ten needed to rekey the lock. If the old keys to the lock are lost, it is better to call a locksmith to handle the rekeying process.
What about investing in rekeyable locks?
If calling a locksmith or purchasing a rekeying kit is unappealing, you can opt to buy any of the many rekeyable locks in the market. These are manufactured by a number of manufacturers and are quite consumer-friendly. This means any homeowner with a bit of rekeying knowledge and the right tools can be able to use these lock systems. These systems come with two keys and a reset key. When the issued reset key is inserted, the pins inside the lock go to a standby or neutral position. The pins are then rest in a new configuration with new keys from the same lock manufacturer.
With the right rekeying technology and tools, you can rekey your lock in less than 15 to 30 seconds maximum. The rekeying process is that easy, particularly when done by experts. Note that the rekey feature normally costs only a few dollars more than a similar lock without it.
All in all, if you do not have an extra key for your lock, it is highly recommended that you get a spare one made. Locking your keys in the car or office while running late for a trip can be really frustrating. And the last thing you would want is to lose the only key to your house or office. This problem fortunately can be solved by requesting a trustworthy local locksmith to make an extra key for you. Don’t wait until a key loss disaster strikes, now is the time to have those locks rekeyed or extra keys made! And remember, it better to have the rekeying or spare key making process handled by an expert locksmith than opting for do-it-yourself option.