Changing Locks When Buying A House
Moving into a new home can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. You may be anxious because you don’t know if the previous owners have left any keys behind for people they knew or who may have broken in before you bought it. Changing locks on your new home is vital for the safety of your family and belongings. When you move into a new home, you don’t know how many keys are out there floating around which can present a security risk to you and your family. Changing the locks renders any key to the previous lock useless.
The Importance Of Changing Your Locks and Home Safety
Safety is a primary concern for most people when moving into any new home. Your family deserves to feel safe and secure and changing the locks on the house can make you feel more confident that no one unauthorized has access to it. If you’ve recently moved into a rental property or if you bought a pre-owned house with keys still existing from previous owners, then this article will give some helpful tips about what steps are necessary to keep your belongings safe while also following common sense safety precautions.
Why Homeowners Change Their Locks/Keys
Halifax Home Insurance found that 12 million adults lost their keys at least six times over the last 10 years, and many of these people had never changed locks on their property. Most insurance companies will not make a pay-out without proof of forced entry if you have not changed the locks in your house. Ignoring this can put you at risk for theft of your belongings. Make sure to change locks when moving into a new home.
The Two Lock Replacement Options
What Does Replacing A Lock Mean?
Installing a new lock means replacing the old secure lock with an improved, more protective and secure one. The new locks can be the same as of your old locks or it could belong to other brands that offer different levels of security.
There are several factors you should take into consideration when determining which brand and type you want installed on your doors, such as: budget, features, and reason for needing replacement in the first place.
What Does Re-Keying A Lock Mean
Rekeying entails changing the existing keys on a lock with new ones without changing the lock – except for minor adjustments to accommodate those keys. Rekeying is often less expensive than changing the locks entirely.
Should You Replace Or Re-key
The Benefits and Disadvantages Of Replacing Your Locks
Replacing your lock is the safest option for you and your family because this ensures that no one in possession of a key from the old lock will have access to enter your home without permission or knowledge. It doesn’t matter if you own or rent, changing the locks will protect both you and your property from potential harm.
Replacing your locks will also give you the option of upgrading to locks with stronger capabilities like installing smart, keyless, or digital locks for added security.
The cost for changing a lock is greater than other options because it includes not just the labour, but also the new locksets as well. Obviously, the most expensive locks are designed with more sophistication and technological advancements which will drive up their costs.
The Benefits and Disadvantages Of Re-Keying Your Locks
Rekeying your home's locks are a less expensive option than replacing them. The rekey process involves changing the pins inside of your locks instead of the entire lock set.
Rekeying locks are a quick method of restoring your home's security and eliminating the possibility for unwanted guests, while replacing an entire set of locks usually requires more time and money.
In cases where additional security measures are needed, you might want to consider upgrading your locks. However, some people may only need to carry out a rekeying process if their exterior locks have already been broken or compromised by other reasons.
When Should You Change The Locks To Your New House?
For the safety and protection of your belongings, as well as your family, you should change the locks to your new home as soon as possible. You don't want to take risks with security when it comes to protecting your belongings and loved ones.
If you have been living at your property for decades or years without changing the locks, chances are there may be keys floating around which could prove dangerous if someone were able to get their hands on them. Therefore it is beneficial to change your locks every few years if you have given keys to people that you are not in contact with anymore.
Changing The Locks When Renting
If you’re renting, then changing the locks on your new home should be done as soon as possible. Not only is it a good idea to make sure that if any of the previous renters had keys they are no longer able to enter and steal from you, but also because this can deter burglars who might be interested in targeting property that is vacant.