If you’ve been broken into, lost your keys, or just moved to a new home, you may have thought about changing your locks. What you might now know is that there is a cheaper and better solution: rekeying the lock. This process can save you a lot of money and it’s fairly simple to do. When you rekey your locks, you’ll be able to use the new key and get peace of mind without shelling out a lot of cash. Read on to learn what it means to rekey a lock so you can decide if this option will work for your needs.
Rekeying a Lock
Changing your locks is a pretty self-explanatory process. But rekeying a lock is a bit different. When a locksmith rekeys a lock, they are changing the working key of the lock to a different key without replacing the entire lock. This means your old key will no longer work, but the original lock itself stays in place. The locksmith takes the locks apart and replaces items inside called tumblers. When these tumblers are updated with new ones, you’ve officially set it to work with a new key.
Overall, rekeying a lock should only take a few minutes. When the process is complete, it should not have any impact on the safety or integrity of the lock. You can have a simple rekey done or request something with a new, higher security lock depending on your needs. Either way, it’s typically a lot less expensive than having your locks completely changed. You should only be charged for the labor to have your locked rekeyed. With a total lock replacement, you’ll pay for both labor and materials.
Rekey Facts
All newer locks include a built-in option to be rekeyed. Some locks require different tools than others, particularly if you already have high-security locks on your doors. You can opt for a rekey when you want to retire an old key, but you can also do it if you want other locks to match the same existing key. If you have several locks with different keys, a rekey will make life a lot easier. When in doubt, ask your locksmith for more information about rekeying your locks so you can be sure it’s the right choice for your home.
Momo Locksmith is your local locksmith company available 24/7 and serving much of the New York City area, including The Bronx. Give us a call 914-999-2930 or 718-796-0618 for all your locksmithing needs.
