Call Today: (469) 208-2888
It’s a commonly asked question; should I rekey the locks or change them out completely? Which is better? Which is more affordable? Which option makes me safer? Here at Locksmiths Farmers Branch, we often get asked these questions. People want to save money but they also crave good security. After all, that’s why we have and use our locks! Don’t let the two choices confuse or frustrate you; we’ll explain the differences along with the pros and cons of each. Read on.
You often hear people say “change the locks” and sometimes they mean a literal lock change and other times they mean alter the lock so that it needs different keys. The latter choice is what a rekey is. When you have this service done, your original lock stays put. Your locksmith makes some changes to the inside pins and springs. Doing this makes it impossible to use the original keys. Think about that for a minute. New keys give you a fresh start so that all those old keys in circulation are now useless. Having your locks rekeyed allows you to select just who gets a copy and who doesn’t. All those who held keys in the past are now unable to use them to get inside your home, car or business. This includes realtors, builders, former tenants, former owners, neighbors, babysitters, gardeners, pet sitters, past roommates and anyone else that may have key!
During a lock change, your entire lock is removed and a new one is installed. This means new keys are needed, as well. This does cost more than a rekey as you are adding brand new hardware. There are many good reasons for ordering a full lock change instead of the more affordable rekey option. Often, locks that are damaged cannot be fully repaired and must be replaced. Let’s say that you came home from vacation and noticed that your door locks were forced open. After checking the house and filing your police report, you decide to have the locks fixed. They may or may not be repaired, depending on the severity of the damage. If they can’t be, your best option is to simply have them replaced. Always be sure that your Farmers Branch, TX locksmith of choice also offers 24-hour emergency help with fast response times. In the above example you can hardly go to bed at night or to work in the morning with no decent locks on the door!
Damaged locks aren’t the only reason to have them replaced. Locks get old and worn with time and use. Sooner or later, they will need to be replaced in order to maintain good security and overall protection for your property. A simple rekey just would not do the trick when you need new locks, altogether!
Another great reason to have your lock replaced and not rekeyed is to upgrade it. The present lock that you are using may work just fine. Maybe it’s not old or worn at all. A lock upgrade would provide much stronger, more effective protection. You might be considering security upgrades at your home or business and if so, replacing your present locks with high security ones could be the perfect option for you and your family or staff.
Many people call our shop asking about bump proof locks and high security hardware. Don’t let the high-tech sounding names scare you; these locks are not high in price at all. Many shops including ours offer them at very good prices and with warrantied parts and labor, too.
Lock bumping is a growing threat. A special lock bumping key is made or sold and when inserted into a lock and then lightly tapped over and over, the lock is scrambled to the point where it is easy to open. It is conservatively estimated that 90% of home and business locks in use today are susceptible to this action.
Ask your locksmith of choice about bump proof locks and high security hardware. These locks are made of solid steel parts and with better and stronger construction that virtually eliminated any lock picking, lock bumping, prying open or even smashing open. Any would-be burglar or home invader will most likely give up and move on rather than waste time and risk law enforcement or gun involvement on the part of the homeowner. High security locks are available in many forms, models and price ranges and are a good option to consider if security or crime prevention is important to you and your loved ones.
Master pins can be a problem. These pins are inside most residential door locks. They are left over from the construction period and at one point, they allowed the contractor to give easy access to his crew that might include drywall installers, plumbers, roofers, carpet installers, realtors, painters, landscapers, tile crew, carpenters, HVAC crew and dozens of others. These master pins allowed the contractor to issue one key per house so that all sub-contractors didn’t have to have numerous keys to every home in the development. Upon sale, the new owner uses his key and the lock pins revert to non-master status. Even though the pins are now virtually useless, they still make the lock a little bit weaker and more susceptible to lock picking and lock bumping. The best way to remove them is to call a local locksmith and have him rekey your lock and remove them in the process.
Which should you choose? That all depends on your wants, needs, and budget. If you have a tenant that skipped town and took his rental key with him, chances are that the lock is still good and all you need are new, different keys. Just order a rekey and you’ll be all ready for the next renter.
If you want better security or new locks altogether, opt for lock change outs and enjoy enhanced protection along with new keys and peace of mind.
