I recently received a call from a new homeowner on the Stoney Creek Mountain asking for a price to have the locks changed as she had just moved in and wanted to be sure no one else had a key to her new home. The homeowner asked me what the cost would be to install new locks. I explain to the home owner that re keying the existing locks would be more affordable.
What is a re-key?
I explained to the home owner a re-key is a process where the internal components of a lock are adjusted so that it can be operated by a new key, rendering any old keys useless. This is a cost-effective alternative to replacing the entire lock, especially if the existing locks are in good working condition.
Here’s a quick summary of the re-keying process:
- Remove the existing locks from the doors.
- Disassemble the locks to access the internal components.
- Reset the lock mechanism to match a new set of keys.
- Reinstall the locks on the doors.
- Provide new keys that will now operate the re-keyed locks.
If all the locks are of the same brand, they can be re-keyed to use a single key, simplifying access throughout the home.