Changing door locks involves the total replacement of the door securing unit which comes with its own set of keys while rekeying a lock involves alteration to the tumblers (inside lock cylinder)to match the new set of key(s). All locks in the house can be rekeyed to use only one key. Motives to change or rekey a lock are many! One thing for sure is that a cost will always come with whatever choice you make. Before the article continues. We want to say thanks to auroralocksmith.org for helping with this article as well. They helped us create more accurate article.
Among the many reasons we may need to change locks or rekey them include:
New House or Apartment
Moving into a new house, condo or apartment is exciting but it can pose several security issues due to the fact that if you are not the first owner, then knowing who else has copies of keys to the locks in your home is a major problem. This means there is a chance a stranger somewhere has easy entry into your property. It is therefore necessary under such circumstances to change your locks or rekey. It is not rocket science figuring out which is cheaper between rekeying and replacing locks although as they say, “cheap is relative and cheap can eventually be expensive”. It is common knowledge to home owners who have had to make this decision irrespective of their reasons that rekeying costs way less than buying new locks for your house doors. Getting a new lock can cost you from $130 to almost $400 depending on the type and quality of lock while rekeying any type of lock will only set you back $90 or less!
Lost Keys
Everyone has lost a key at one point in life and this is the most common reason for many lock replacements or rekeying. The fear that someone might find them and use them to gain entry into your house is enough to look for ways to recover your confidence in your home’s security. In cases like this, if all doors have the same type of lock and are in good working condition, then your cheapest option would be to rekey the locks. If different locks are installed on different house doors then considering changing the lock-sets to match then rekeying to your specifications is a more expensive way out. This helps cut costs in future when you have to rekey for whatever reasons.
Special Cases
Some of the special cases that may require you to make any alterations to your locks include (1) a spouse moving out of a shared house or apartment. (2) A fired employee (maid or grounds man) who could poses a copy of the house key(s). (3) Grown up children who have moved out of the house. If you separate from your partner either through a divorce or breakup you might feel the need to have them completely locked out of your house therefore it is cheaper for you to have your locks re-keyed than installing new replacements. The same case applies to kids who have moved out on their own. Sometimes our employees can be fired for different reasons and some may be vengeful due to the circumstances of their dismissal therefore it is advised to rekey your locks since this is more cost effective and still provides the same level of security as would be experienced with a new set of locks.