Lock Rekeying in New Garden, PA

When you move into a home in New Garden, keys from the previous household may still be out there.

A lost key or a roommate moving out can leave you with the same uncertainty about who has access. We rekey the existing lock cylinders by changing the pins inside, so the old keys no longer work and a new set opens the doors. The visible locks and handles stay as they are, so rekeying changes access rather than the look of your doors.

You can decide which entrances in your New Garden home need a new key, including a door from an attached garage or a side entry. If you want one key for several outside doors, we check whether their locks accept the same type of key. Compatible locks can be rekeyed to match. Incompatible ones may need replacement to share a key. Replacing a lock is also an option if you want different hardware or the existing lock is worn or not working properly.

We look at the locks on the doors you choose, noting their condition and whether they accept the same type of key.

If a contractor had a key during a project, you can consider which entrances it opened and include those locks in the work. Rekeying changes the pins inside a lock to work with a different set. It leaves the exterior appearance unchanged and does not repair worn parts. Before starting, we explain what we find and whether the selected locks can share one key.

You may want to include a side door or an entrance from an attached garage, rather than just the front door. If a lock is worn or you want different hardware, replacement is another choice. Some locks may need replacement to work with one key across the doors you select. After the work, we check each rekeyed lock with you, testing the new keys and, if you have an old one, checking that it no longer works. We also check that the locks operate with the doors open and closed.

Once a roommate has moved out and your locks have been rekeyed, keep track of who has the new keys and where spare copies are stored.

If an old key is available, try it with the door open to confirm it no longer turns the lock. Test each new key in the locks it is meant to open, then close each door and check that it latches and locks properly. Keys to doors you did not include may still work as they did.

Keep keys clean and avoid forcing one that resists turning. For lubrication, follow the lock manufacturer's directions and use only a recommended product. If a new key sticks, the latch does not catch, or the hardware feels loose, stop using force and call us to look at the problem. A key that turns with the door open but binds when it is closed points to a different issue than one that will not turn at all.