Rekeying Locks

When people say they want to change their locks, what they usually want is to change who has keys. Rekeying does exactly that. We change the inside of the lock so it works with a new key, and every old key stops working. The deadbolt, handleset or lever stays on the door, which makes rekeying faster and usually far less expensive than replacing hardware.

How rekeying works

Most door locks are pin tumbler cylinders. Inside, a row of small pins of different lengths sits across the line where the plug turns. The cuts on the right key lift each pin to exactly the right height so the plug can rotate. To rekey, we take the cylinder out, remove the old pins, and fit new ones that match a new key. Cut that key, test it, put the cylinder back, and the lock is effectively new as far as keys are concerned.

When to rekey

• You’ve moved into a new home. You don’t know who has keys from previous owners, tenants or trades.
• Your business has moved into a new location. Rekeying is the step we recommend to every business moving in, because nobody knows how many keys the last tenant handed out.
• Keys were lost or stolen, particularly with anything showing your address.
• An employee, tenant or roommate has left and you can’t be sure every copy came back.
• You’re tired of a ring of keys. Rekey the front, back and side doors to one key.

Keyed alike: one key for the house

Rekeying is also how you get one key for several doors. If your locks share a keyway, which is common when they come from the same maker, they can be pinned to the same key. If they don’t, we can usually swap a cylinder or two so everything takes one key. The same principle, taken further, is how a master key system gives each person in a building one key for their doors and gives the manager one key for all of them.

When rekeying isn’t the answer

Rekeying fixes the key problem, not the hardware. Replacement makes more sense when:

• The lock is worn, sticky or damaged, and a new key won’t fix how it feels.
• You want a different style, finish or function, such as a lever instead of a knob.
• You want better security, such as a stronger deadbolt or a Mul-T-Lock high-security cylinder.
• You want to go keyless with a keypad or smart lock.

Our guide to rekeying versus replacing locks goes through the decision in more detail.

At your door or at our counter

We rekey at homes and businesses across the Tri-City. If you’re handy, you can also remove the cylinders yourself and bring them to the shop at 300 Manitou Drive; it’s often the simplest way to do a small job. Bring every cylinder you want on the new key, along with a current key if you have one.

What a rekey visit looks like

1. We confirm which doors you want on the new key, and whether any should be keyed differently.
2. Each cylinder is removed, repinned to the new key and tested before it goes back on the door.
3. We check that every lock turns smoothly with the new key and that bolts line up with their strikes.
4. You get the new keys and decide how many copies you need; the old keys stop working.

After a break-in or a change at home

Rekeying is also worth doing when circumstances change: after a break-in where keys may have been taken, when a relationship ends and a former partner still has a key, or when a caregiver or contractor’s work at the house is finished. It’s a quick, inexpensive way to make sure only the people you choose can get in.

For landlords and property managers

Rekeying between tenants is cheap insurance. A former tenant with a key, or a friend they gave one to, is a liability for you and a worry for the next tenant. For multi-unit buildings, planning the keying so a unit lock can be rekeyed without affecting the master key saves time on every turnover.

To book rekeying, call 519-894-7055 or request a quote and tell us how many doors, and which brand of locks, you have.