What rekeying does
Inside the cylinder, pins are matched to a key’s cuts. Rekeying repins the cylinder to a new key: the lock, the door and the finish stay, and every copy of the old key stops working. It answers the question ‘who out there has a key?’ — completely, for every door rekeyed.
Rekeying is the right job when access control is the problem and the hardware is healthy: move-ins, turnovers, lost keys, changed relationships, new staff. The move-in case is detailed in our move-in guide.
What replacement adds
Replacement answers a different question: ‘is this lock itself good enough?’ New hardware makes sense when the lock is worn or failing, when parts no longer exist, when you want a higher grade or restricted-keyway security, or when you’re changing the entry style entirely — to a smart lock, say.
Replacement also fixes mismatched doors: a house that accumulated four brands and three keys over thirty years can come out of one visit on a single key.
The honest test
Run two questions per door. Does the lock work perfectly? If not, replacement (or repair) is on the table. Do I know everyone who holds its key? If not, rekeying is mandatory regardless. Plenty of doors need only the second answer acted on — and any locksmith who skips the questions and quotes all-new hardware for every door is answering a question you didn’t ask.
Call (561) 366-2611 and describe your doors; we’ll tell you which side of the line each one is on before you book.
How this article connects
- ✓Rekey Locks — the service page
- ✓Rekey Before You Move In
- ✓Lock Repair & Installation
- ✓High-Security Locks
Locks change, lock rekey, lock replaced — which job is yours?
A locks change and a lock rekey are the same routine with different words: the hardware stays, every old key stops working. A lock replaced is the other side of the decision — new hardware when the lock itself is worn, damaged, or due an upgrade. Our rekey vs. replace guide walks the choice door by door.