Lock Rekeying in Coatesville, PA

A roommate is moving out, and you want to control who has a working key to your home in Coatesville.

We rekey the existing cylinders by changing the pins inside them, so the previous keys no longer work and a new key opens the door. The exterior hardware stays in place, with the same appearance and basic function. Rekeying also changes key access after you move into a home or lose a key.

For a home in Coatesville, you can include the front door, back door, and other keyed exterior entrances. If the locks are compatible, we can rekey them to work with one key. Rekeying keeps your existing hardware, while replacement gives you a different lock. A worn or damaged mechanism may need replacement rather than rekeying, particularly if it does not operate properly. Consider which entrances the departing roommate or someone holding a lost key could use, since the existing keys will still work at any entrance you leave out.

If your lost key ring has your address on it, you may want to rekey every outside door that key could open.

We first look at the locks you want included and explain your choices before starting. You might include a side door or an entry from an attached garage along with the front and back doors. We also check whether the locks can share one key. Some may not be compatible, and a worn or damaged lock may be a better candidate for replacement.

Rekeying changes the pins inside the existing locks, while leaving the outside hardware in place. Replacing a lock gives you different hardware instead. After the work, we check each included door with the new key and show you how it operates from both sides. If you have another copy of an old key, we can check that it no longer works in the rekeyed locks. Doors you leave out will still work with their existing keys, so you can keep track of which key belongs where.

With the door open, try each new key in every rekeyed lock it is meant to operate, from both sides where there is a keyhole.

If you still have an old key, check that it no longer works in those locks. A key that catches or needs force is worth bringing to our attention; forcing it could leave it stuck or broken. Check that the door closes and locks normally before relying on it.

Keep track of who has copies, especially if you have moved into a home with keys you cannot account for. Store extras securely, and consider another rekey if one goes missing or ends up with someone you do not want to have access. For routine care, use a lubricant recommended by the lock manufacturer and follow its directions. If turning becomes difficult or a new key stops working, call us to check what needs attention.