Lock Rekeying in Thornbury, Delaware County, PA

Lost keys with your address on the ring leave you wondering who might use them to enter your home in Thornbury.

We change the small parts inside the existing cylinders so the missing keys no longer work, then provide new ones. The visible hardware and its appearance stay the same. Rekeying is also an option when you move in and do not know who has copies, or when a roommate leaves and you want to change access.

In Thornbury, you can decide which entrances need new access, including the front, back, side or basement doors. One key may operate all of them if the existing hardware is compatible. We look at what is installed and explain your options if it cannot be matched. Rekeying keeps the hardware you already have, while replacement gives you a different lock. A replacement may be worth considering if the current one is worn or damaged, or if you want a different appearance.

If a contractor had a key during your project, we start by looking at the locks on the doors you want covered and checking their condition and key types.

We explain which ones can be rekeyed and whether they can share one key. Rekeying changes the pins inside the existing cylinders, while the visible hardware stays in place. You can choose to include every outside door or only certain ones, but the contractor's key may still work on any door left out.

If the locks are compatible, you may be able to use one key for all the included doors. When they are not compatible, your choices may include keeping separate keys or replacing some hardware to make a shared key possible. Worn or faulty hardware may also be a reason to replace it instead of rekeying it. Once the work is complete, we check each included door with the new keys and, if you have an old key, check that it no longer works. We also go over any door left out, so you know which keys still operate it.

If your lost key ring had your address on it, remember that only the locks included in the rekeying have changed.

A shed, gate or other lock left out of the work may still accept a lost key. Consider having those locks rekeyed too. On your replacement key ring, use a label that does not identify your address, and keep spare keys somewhere secure rather than hiding one near the door.

Your new keys should turn smoothly without a hard push or twist. If one sticks, stop forcing it and check whether it is bent or worn. Follow the lock manufacturer's care instructions before applying any lubricant, since the wrong product may leave residue inside. Call us again if a key still catches, the lock feels loose, or an old key works in a lock we rekeyed.