Lock Rekeying in Kennett Township, PA

A new home can come with old keys still in circulation, even after you have received your own set.

In Kennett Township, we rekey doors so those earlier keys no longer work and a new set opens the doors you choose. We change the pins inside each cylinder rather than replacing the whole lock, so the handles and other visible hardware stay as they are. Rekeying is also an option after a roommate leaves or a key goes missing.

You can include the entrances you use and any others that an old key could open, such as a side door or a door from an attached garage. For a Kennett Township home with several exterior doors, we can set compatible locks to work with one key, which means fewer keys to carry. If a mechanism is worn or damaged, replacement may be the better choice. It also lets you choose different handles or a new style instead of keeping what is already on the door.

When a roommate moves out, you may want their key to stop opening your home while keeping the hardware you already have.

We first look at the locks you are considering, their condition and the keys you have. If you want one key for the outside doors, we check whether those locks are compatible. Before starting, we explain what rekeying changes inside the existing hardware and what stays the same, including the handles and the appearance of the doors.

You choose which entry points to include, such as the front and back entrances or the entry from an attached garage. A key held by your former roommate may still work at any entrance left out. If hardware is worn, damaged or incompatible with a shared key, we explain whether rekeying or replacement makes sense for that opening. Once the work is done, we check the new keys with you at each included entrance and, if an old key is available, check that it no longer works there. You can also try each key yourself so you know how it should turn.

With the door open, try each new key and make sure it turns smoothly.

If you still have an old key, check that it no longer turns the lock. A key that sticks, stops short, or needs extra pressure is worth a closer look, so call us rather than forcing it. For care, use a lubricant recommended by the lock manufacturer, not household oil.

If a contractor had a key during your project, rekeying changes which keys work, but it does not account for copies of your new key. Give those copies only to people who need access, and keep track of who has them. Store a spare with someone you trust instead of leaving it outdoors. If a new key goes missing, or someone who received one no longer needs access, call us to talk through whether rekeying again makes sense.