Rekey or Lock Replacement? Which One Should I Pick?

Lock rekey and lock replacement serve the same purpose. You can adopt either of the two methods to discourage unauthorized access to an environment. In some cases, the situation might require you to choose one over the other. Hence, the need for rekey or lock replacement would be determined by the situation at hand.

What Is Lock Rekey & When Can I Rekey?

Lock rekeying is the process of altering the lock mechanism in an attempt to disallow old keys from opening a lock. A rekey process might not be effective using a DIY approach. See conditions that require you to rekey your lock below:

When you lost or misplaced a key

Losing or misplacing a key is a security risk. Someone with an evil intention might pick it up. It would be best if you consider rekeying your lock-in in such a situation. Doing so will assure you that your property is safe from burglars.

When you want to open all locks with a key

A lot of people dislike going around with a bunch of keys. Guess what? It is possible to use one key to open all your locks through rekeying. However, it is not advisable in a commercial setting. 

When you move to a new home

You should carry out lock rekeying when you move to a new home. Why? A copy of the key might be with any of the construction workers. To ensure that your new home is safe from unauthorized access, rekey is inevitable.

What Is Key Replacement & When Can I Replace My Lock?

Lock replacement simply means replacing the entire lock system. Unlike rekeying that only alters the lock mechanism, lock replacement disregards both the old lock and key in place of new ones. You should consider lock replacement under the following condition:

When the lock is old

Consider replacing your lock if it has been in use for a long time. Old locks might have become weak, inefficient, and, thus, become easy to compromise. Likewise, replacing such a lock will help you upgrade to a better-secured lock.

When your lock becomes faulty consistently

Suppose you realize that your lock consistently malfunctions over some time, then the best option is to replace it. 

Your peculiar situation is what will determine if you are meant to rekey or replace your lock. Nonetheless, the result of the two is adequate security. Cooper Locksmith Decatur is a professional locksmith company that handles both locks rekey and replacement issues.