How Rekeying Works and When You Need It

Rekeying comes up constantly and most people are not sure what it actually means. It is simpler than it sounds.

Inside every standard pin tumbler lock are a series of spring-loaded pins. Your key is cut to specific heights that line those pins up at exactly the right point, letting the cylinder turn. When I rekey a lock, I swap those pins for a different set — now only the new key works. The lock itself does not change, just what opens it.

This is why rekeying is cheaper than replacing. You keep your existing hardware. All that changes is the internal pin configuration, which takes about ten minutes per lock.

The situations where I get the most rekeying calls: someone just moved into a house, someone lost a key or is not sure if they lost it, a relationship ended and someone moved out, an employee left a business with key access. In each case the question is the same — who else might have a copy of this key? Rekeying ends that question.

When does replacement make more sense? If the lock is old, damaged, or just not that good to begin with. Rekeying a worn-out lock gives you the same worn-out lock. If someone has been forcing it, or if you want to move up a security grade, replacement is the right call.

If you are not sure which situation you are in, I can usually tell you in about thirty seconds after looking at the lock.