By Greg Jessop, Pop-A-Lock
First of all…what is a re-key? To re-key a lock means that we change the pin tumblers in your existing locks to match a new key so that your old key does not work anymore. Most customers commonly refer to this task as “changing the locks” however we are not physically changing those locks, we are just changing the pin tumblers and making a new key to render the old key useless.
The most common reason customers call us to re-key their home or business is because they just moved in. Whether you are renting the space, or have purchased the property, you should strongly consider re-keying the locks. Why? Well…do you know who else has those keys that can be used to enter your property? Does the pet sitter have a copy? How about the cleaning company? How many friends and family members of the former tenant or owner have the key to open your locks? You just don’t know. Would you feel secure knowing that others may have a key that works your lock? Most people do not feel secure so they call a locksmith to “change the locks” for peace of mind and to protect yourself and your most valuable assets.
Another common reason for re-keying a home or business is because the keys were lost or stolen. We had a customer who had their wallet, car keys, and house keys stolen from his gym locker. Since his driver’s license had his address on it, the thieves knew where he lived and had the keys to his house! Yes, the thieves showed up at 2 AM but luckily he was up and scared them away. He called Pop-A-Lock, a trusted Locksmith company, the next day to make him new keys so that the old key would not work anymore. In addition, we reprogrammed is car’s anti-theft system so that the stolen car key would not operate his vehicle either.
Another reason customers call to re-key their property is because of a domestic dispute. Obviously these are always sensitive matters. For instance, when an untrusted roommate just moved out, or when a disgruntled ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend just moved out, you may want to re-key your home if you are worried and you want to protect yourself and your personal property. If that happens, but sure to call a reputable Locksmith company like Pop-A-Lock to secure your home.
From a commercial perspective, many businesses require a re-key the same day that an employee, who was trusted with a key, quits, is fired, or let go. There is just too much on the line to not re-key the locks. The cost of re-keying is far lower than the cost of theft or damage to your property because of a disgruntled employee. That, of course, assumes that that employee had a key and even if they gave it back, how do you know whether they made a copy? One of our customers was so concerned about unauthorized key duplication, they elected to upgrade to high security, restricted keyway locks whereby these high security keys cannot be copied at Lowes, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, etc.
When you re-key your home or business, you also get the added convenience of having one key operate all your locks. Who likes to have a huge key chain and fuss with which key opens which lock? Locks can be re-keyed to the same key assuming all of the keyways on the existing locks are the same, meaning either all Kwikset or all Schlage keyways. For example, if 1 of the 5 locks are not compatible, we can add a compatible cylinder in order to have one key operate all locks. It’s just a matter of customer preference.
The cost of re-keying your locks is typically less than going out to the hardware store to buy all new locks. And, unless you are very handy, you will have the trouble of removing all the old locks, and installing all the new locks yourself which could be very time consuming. For instance, hiring a locksmith to re-key a 4 lock home would cost you about $110, and you don’t have to lift a finger as the locksmith will remove the old locks, install new pin tumblers, and then reinstall the locks. If you decide to hire a Locksmith, be sure to hire a reputable company like Pop-A-Lock.
When choosing a Locksmith, for instance, ask yourself these questions: Is this a legitimate company? Are they insured? Can I trust them? Does their website have pictures of employees and marked vehicles? Pop-A-Lock is a national franchise, but locally owned and operated. We are the nation’s most trusted locksmith company. We are insured and our employees have passed background checks, driving checks, and drug tests. In addition, we are uniformed, arrive in marked vehicles, and are very friendly and professional. For reliable Pop-A-Lock Locksmith service, please call us for a no-obligation quote to secure your home or business.
