Tips

What Rekeying Is — and When You Need It

Rekeying is one of the most useful — and most misunderstood — locksmith services. It’s often smarter and cheaper than replacing your locks entirely.

Rekeying vs replacing

Replacing a lock means fitting brand-new hardware. Rekeying keeps your existing lock but changes its internal pins, so all the old keys stop working and a new key takes over. Same lock, new key — for a fraction of the cost.

When you should rekey

Any time you can’t be sure who holds a working key, rekeying restores control.

• You just moved into a home or office
• A key was lost or stolen
• A tenant, worker, or ex-partner moved out
• You want several doors on one key

When replacement is better

If the lock is old, worn, damaged, or you want to upgrade to higher security or a smart lock, replacing makes more sense than rekeying.

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