You often hear the phrase “change the locks” yet what does that really mean? What’s involved in a lock change and why would you want to have different locks anyway? This post will explore the many reasons for altering your locks at home, on your car or at your business so that you can enjoy greater lock protection and peace of mind.
Whether you are buying your home or renting it, your keys have changed hands several times. Think about it; just who has had a copy or copies of your door key? A partial list will include property managers, office staff, realtors, builders, contractors, delivery persons, family members, previous residents, babysitters, earlier tenants, and many more. Would you be comfortable with that many people knowing your bank password? Of course not! It’s almost the same with your keys! Just because people are not supposed to enter your home without permission doesn’t mean that they won’t.
Why would you want your Hampton, VA commercial locks changed? There are many good reasons. You may have just moved into this location and want to start off “fresh” with only the keys that you have distributed to your staff in circulation. You may have been burglarized and suffered lock damage in the process. Your new commercial locks are now replacing the older damaged ones. Maybe the older store or office locks were aged or worn and this new set offers greater security and stability. Your new locks may also be an upgrade as in the case of replacing with high security locks or bump proof ones.
New locks on cars, trucks or service vehicles can be due to change of ownership, an upgrade or due previous lock damage. Auto locks can break down due to use or wear. Everything from trunk locks to ignition switches can become less effective after long use. Often crime can lead to lock change or replacement as vandalism, break-in attempts and auto theft can wreak havoc on locks and locking mechanisms of all makes and models.
What’s Involved in a Lock Change or Replacement?
Replacing a lock with another one is just that. Your old lock may be of lesser quality and it may be time for an upgrade. Here at Locksmith Hampton we often replace locks with better ones or more durable models. Take for instance deadbolts. Many homeowners want to add a deadbolt to their front doors and often we get requests for double cylinder deadbolts or for door locks that are pick proof and bump proof. It’s a little known fact that home builders will almost always install cheaper locks on front and back doors. Their goal is NOT to keep you safe; it is to sell a home with a lock on it. While many luxury or custom home builders will offer upgraded locks at a steeper price, most new homes for several decades now come with cheaper quality, basic door locks that are very easy to bypass.
A full lock replacement involves changing the whole lock mechanism. A rekey keeps your original lock in place and only the interior pins are altered. This step now requires new keys as the older ones no longer will work. Rekeys can be a great idea when you want a fast solution to access problems and don’t want to spend a lot of money. Locksmith Hampton offers this service to our local customers and we do it often so feel free to call us for additional details and for some no cost price quotes. If you already have a Hampton, VA locksmith that you like and work with be sure to call them and get additional details on both lock replacement and their rekey service.
Here are a few examples for you to consider; there are of course, many more reasons to have your locks replaced or changed out but these are some of the most common ones:
Move outs – did the kids grow up and move out? Did you just get a divorce or did the relationship end? Did you have a long term guest or roommate that had his/her own key and now they are gone?
Were you away? – did you leave on a trip or for work and give a copy of the key to the neighbors so that they could check on the house? You may trust your friends or family but who else had access to your house key?
Lost keys – did you lose your keys? Whether you found them later or not doesn’t matter! It is still smart thinking to have your locks changed just in case. Even if your keys were returned to you by a co-worker or good Samaritan, you can’ be certain that copies weren’t made first!
Old locks – as stated earlier, older locks work less and less effectively as time goes by. Maybe they still work now but they won’t forever, so strongly consider replacing them with newer better ones.
Child access – do you give your kids copies of your house key? Maybe they let themselves in after school and get home before you get off of work. You trust your kids but are you really sure that they haven’t lent the key to a friend who copied it? Or, has the child’s key already been lost and he/she is using a copy?
Crime attempt – have you recently had a break-in or attempted break-in? Even if they didn’t damage your locks you should consider replacing them with newer, stronger ones. Locksmith Hampton offers several models of pick-proof and bump proof home and business locks that are both affordable and convenient to install.
Key lending – have you lent you key out to a service man or repair technician. Just because they work for a reputable company doesn’t mean that it’s safe to rely on their honesty. Whether you get your key back or don’t; it’s smart thinking to rekey your locks as soon as possible.
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