Should you change or rekey your locks? Today, our team of professional locksmiths are going to help you decide which option is best for you.
Have you moved recently? Or maybe lost your house keys? Are you looking to update your home’s style? If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, it’s time to think about changing or rekeying your locks.
Before we discuss which option is best for you, let’s first establish what each of these terms means…
Changing Your Locks refers to the process of changing out the physical hardware of your door locks. This can include your deadbolt, smart lock, door handle, or more, but the bottom line is that with changing your locks, you are getting new hardware to replace your old hardware. It should be noted that this term is sometimes used interchangeable with “rekeying”, which we will discuss below.
Rekeying Your Locks refers to changing out only the pins and tumblers that work inside of your current hardware so that the physical hardware itself stays the same, but the old keys no longer work to lock or unlock them, barring access to anyone who does not have the new key that has been made.
So which option is right for you? Here are a few things to consider when thinking about changing vs. rekeying locks:
• Style If you’re looking merely to update your style – and we at South Shore Lock & Key understand the importance of this – changing locks is the option for you. We have dozens of different options in stock when it comes to finish, style, shape, and more, and if you’re looking to update your front door fashion, a rekey won’t do anything in this regard.
• Purpose Maybe you’re looking to upgrade your hardware to something like a smart lock that will add convenience and value to your home. If you don’t already have smart lock hardware, then you’ll need to upgrade, of course.
However, if you have some kind of security concern – you’ve lost your keys and are worried that someone may have picked them up or stolen them, if you’ve given the keys to a friend, family member, or contractor that you no longer trust, or anything along those lines – then either changing or rekeying can be an option, as new locks come with a new key anyway and we can match the rest of your doors to the new key (of course, if you want to upgrade your hardware but keep your current key, that is an option as well!) and rekeying will make it so that the unauthorized person will no longer have access.
• Price With security concerns, as mentioned above, either option will work to keep unauthorized people from entering your home. But if price is a factor as well, then rekeying may be the option for you. Part costs are lower with this service, thus the overall price you pay will be a lot lower, and if you are only concerned about changing the locks and not the style, then rekeying is the option for you.
Whichever route you take, South Shore Lock & Key has been a proud partner in all things locksmithing for the last decade and is glad to guide you through the process of updating your home’s style and/or security. Whether you end up deciding to change or rekey your locks, we have the tools, inventory, and expertise to help you get your home security where you want and need it to be.
Give us a call today to see how South Shore Lock & Key can help you realize your home’s full potential by rekeying or changing your locks.