Rekeying: The Right Move After Moving In

The distinction that matters is rekey versus replace. Rekeying keeps the deadbolt or knob you already have and changes the internal pin combination so a new key is required; replacing swaps the hardware itself. Most people moving into a house or taking over a rental do not need new hardware — the lock works, they just do not know who else has a key to it. Rekeying solves exactly that problem without paying for a new lock you did not need.

The case for replacing instead is when the hardware itself is the problem: a deadbolt that was already loose or worn before you moved in, mismatched brands and finishes across different doors, or a desire to move to a smart lock while you are at it. Getting every exterior door onto one matched key at the same time — often called keying alike — is worth asking about during a rekey, since doing it later as a separate visit costs more than folding it into the first one.

What this usually involves

• Every exterior door rekeyed the same visit, on request
• Matched keying across doors so one key works everywhere
• Old keys — previous owner's, past tenant's, anyone else's — stop working immediately
• Existing hardware kept where it is in good condition
• Straight read on any lock that should be replaced instead of rekeyed

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