The locks are arguably some of the most important parts of your home, as it makes the house more secure and protected against intruders or burglars that may try to go inside your home and still some of your family’s belongings. So, once you find a fault lock in the house, you would need to get it replaced immediately so that it won’t be taken advantage of by strangers.
However, there are moments when it is not the locks that should be changed but the keys, which are primarily used to open those locks. If the keys are damaged, there is a much higher chance that you won’t be able to use them anymore, thus leading you to not have access to your own home or some cabinets or parts of the house. Before this could happen, you should already know about several warning signs that would tell you if you need to change your keys. Here are several tips for when you should change the keys on your locks.
When the Keys Have Irreparable Damage
As we have mentioned in the introduction, the biggest reason to change your keys is when it is so damaged that it cannot open locks properly anymore. Damaged keys can be troublesome, as one moment they can open locks while in the next situation, they suddenly wouldn’t be able to. If you have already noticed damages on your keys, like chips, big scratches, or a specific part missing, then it would be best to change them immediately.
If you have the original copy of the key that is not damaged, you can take it to a key duplication service and make another copy. However, make sure that the damaged key is broken thoroughly so that nobody can use it. However, if the original key is that one that is damaged, then you may need to bring the lock to a key duplication service so that they can figure out the original shape of the key and make another one.
When You Lost Your Keys
Another reason for changing or getting new keys is when you lose the ones you previously owned. There will be mishaps that will happen in our lives, and one of those is missing our keys. Luckily, if you bring the locks that your lost keys can open to a key duplication service center, you can easily get new keys.
Unfortunately, there will also be a chance that a stranger or burglar now has a hold of your old keys. In this situation, you have two options, which are to either change the locks or get the locks re-keyed, meaning that a new key will be designed for the locks so that the old key wouldn’t work on them anymore. Once you lose your keys, it would be best to have the locks re-keyed so that you won’t need to replace them, although you may need to replace the keys owned by your family members.
When You Moved to a New Home
Whenever you move to a new home, it is always recommended that you change the lock of the house immediately, as you don’t really who owns the keys to the old locks. If the locks are fairly sturdy or are not yet loose or rusting, then you could just get them re-keyed instead of replacing them, which could cost more money to do.
By getting the locks re-keyed, the previous owner/s of your new home wouldn’t have access to it, and strangers who may have old keys for the locks won’t get inside. So, through new or re-keyed locks, you will call your new home truly your own.
When You Don’t Want Someone to Open the Locks
When there is someone who has keys to your locks, but you are forbidding him or her to enter your home, then it would be best to get the locks re-keyed and change the keys. This “someone” who may try to enter your home may be a person that you put a restraining order on or just a random stranger that suddenly got a hold of one of your keys and is trying to enter without permission. Before they can get into your home, get your locks re-keyed immediately or call the authorities to report that someone is trying to break into your house.
These are some simple tips on when you should change the keys of your home’s locks. You can either get a duplicate for your broken or lost keys or just get the lock re-keyed, which is much safer since you can take out the usefulness of your lost keys so that strangers and criminals can’t use them. Remember that the safety of the house and your family rely upon the sturdiness and reliability of your locks, so always be wary if you lose a key or if a lock is broken.