Do I Need to Hire a Locksmith to Rekey My Own Locks?

When moving into a new home or renting, changing your locks may be beneficial for several reasons. Whether it’s safety or you don’t know who has access to your house, changing the locks can provide peace of mind and guarantee that no one can gain access without your consent. It also reduces the risk of theft or neighbors gaining access without permission.

What should you do if some of your existing locks are not functioning with the key that you currently possess? In such cases, rekeying your locks may be a cost-effective and reliable solution to get them to accept the existing key.

Rekeying your own locks is a viable option for many homeowners, but it’s essential to be aware of all available choices. Rekeying is typically much less expensive than replacing them, so consider all options carefully and pick the one best suited to you.

Do I Need to Hire a Locksmith to Rekey My Own Locks?

If your locks are traditional pin and tumbler varieties, rekeying them can be quite straightforward. All that’s required is knowing the tools necessary for taking apart the old lock and installing its replacement with something new.

To begin, you will need a rekey kit specific to the brand of lock you have. These typically include various tools to help remove the old lock and replace it with a new one. Additionally, you’ll require some lock pins – those smaller pieces used during rekeying the lock – which are essential pieces.

Rekey your door using a rekey kit by opening the latch and sliding it down toward the bottom. Afterward, insert a small tool from any hardware store to push out the top pins from inside of the lock, making it simpler to take out the cylinder plug from its housing.

The cylinder is secured to its housing with either a c-clip or nut. Fortunately, your rekey kit will include the appropriate removal tool for your lock type.

Once the cylinder has been taken out, you must now remove the knob from the back of your lock. Depending on its model, this may require using either a hammer or pushing it out with a screwdriver or other tool.

It is essential that you follow the instructions included with your rekey kit. Otherwise, you won’t be able to rekey the lock yourself and must call a professional locksmith for assistance.

Rekeying your own locks can be a risk if you do not know what you are doing. Not only could the process damage the lock itself, but it could also compromise its security – something you do not want in your home. For this reason, it’s always better to entrust the task to an experienced locksmith who will do it correctly and guarantee all of your locks remain secure.