Lock Rekeying in Brookside, DE

One key for every outside door can make coming home simpler, but the doors at your Brookside home may have different keys now.

If you have moved in, lost a key, or had a roommate leave, you may also be unsure who still has a copy. We rekey the existing cylinders by changing their internal pins, so the old keys no longer work and new ones open them. The hardware stays in place, and rekeying does not change the way the doors look or repair a worn or damaged lock.

At a Brookside home, you can choose which outside doors to include, such as the front, back, and side entrances. Any door left out will keep working with its current key, so consider who has copies for each entrance. We check whether the selected locks are compatible with one key. If they are not, replacing one may be an option for making the entrances match. Replacement also gives you a way to change the hardware itself when its condition or appearance is a concern.

If a contractor had a key during a project, you may want to change who can use it without replacing your door hardware.

We first look at the doors you want to include and check the condition and keyways of their locks. You can choose which outside doors to rekey, including any the contractor could access, and leave the others as they are. Before starting, we explain which doors can share one key and whether any worn or incompatible hardware would need repair or replacement to give you that option.

Rekeying changes the pins inside an existing cylinder so a different key operates it. The handles and other visible parts stay in place, while keys cut for the previous setup should no longer operate the selected locks. Replacement is another choice if you want a different look or a lock is not suitable for rekeying. Once the work is done, we check the new key in each included door with you and, if an old key is available, test that it no longer works. You can also try the doors yourself and tell us if anything feels difficult to turn.

Try each new key in every entrance it is meant to open, with the door open first.

Turn it both ways and operate the latch, then close the door and check that it secures. If you still have an old one, test it on the rekeyed entrances too. Keep a note of any locks left out, since the earlier keys may still work there. Store spare copies in a secure place and be selective about who receives them.

Keep the keyway clear of grit, and follow the lock manufacturer's directions if lubrication is needed. Avoid forcing a stiff mechanism, which can make the problem worse. If a new copy catches, turns only with pressure, or stops working, call us to look at it. Trouble securing an entrance also warrants another visit. We can determine whether the issue lies in the copy, the cylinder, or the surrounding hardware.