Lock Rekeying in East Marlborough, PA

Your contractor used a key to enter your East Marlborough home for a project.

Afterward, you might be unsure where copies ended up. Moving into a home, losing a key, or having a roommate leave can raise the same concern. We rekey the existing cylinders by changing the pins inside, so the old keys no longer operate the rekeyed locks and a new key does. The visible hardware remains in place; you do not need to replace it just to change which key works.

For your East Marlborough home, you decide which entrances need a key change. You might include the front and back doors but leave a side entrance unchanged. Any lock left out will continue to work with its current key, so consider who has copies for each entrance. If the locks are compatible, we may be able to set all the outside doors to work with one key. Rekeying changes key access, but it does not fix wear or damage. Replacing a worn or damaged lock addresses its condition as well as changing the key.

A key given to a contractor may fit more than the entrance used for the work.

We start by looking at each exterior door you want to secure and the condition of its lock. You choose which doors to include, keeping in mind that a door left out may still accept that key. We explain how rekeying changes the pins inside the existing cylinders so old keys no longer work on the doors you include. The exterior hardware and its appearance stay the same.

If you want one key for several exterior doors, we check whether the existing locks are compatible. When they are not, replacing some hardware may be an option. Replacement may also make sense if a lock is worn or damaged. We explain what each choice would change before we begin, so you can decide which work to have done. Afterward, we try the new key with you at each included door and check that it turns smoothly. If an old key is available, we also test it on those doors.

Try each new key with the door open, then check that it locks and unlocks with the door closed.

The key should turn without force. Keep keys clean and avoid using one that is bent, since it can catch inside the lock. If an old key still works, or a new key sticks or fails to turn, call us to check the problem.

A lost key ring with your address on it connects those keys to your home. Rekeying protects the locks included in the work, but any other locks those keys fit remain unchanged. Keep address tags separate from your keys, and keep track of who has copies. If another set goes missing, or you find a lock that was left out of the work, call us to talk through your options.