Cheapest way to rekey locks

Multiple locks with the same key

Rekeying house door locks is a very common service that most locksmith companies provide. However, did you know that you do not need to rekey your house door locks at all? You can actually change your own door locks. In many cases it can even cost less and you will get fresh, brand new locks on your door. By replacing your old locks with brand new locks you can take the opportunity to change the color of your locks if you would like, and maybe most importantly, you can get all the locks keyed to the same key. With a big thanks to places like The Home Depot, Lowes and Ace Hardware, finding house door locks is easy.

You might be wondering how you can have multiple locks with the same key. First, you need to know the most common house door lock manufacturers make lock sets with one, two or four locks per package. These packages will come with a key that will work on all the locks. You will even be able to make house key copies in most of these hardware stores. These manufactures are Kwikset, Schlage, Baldwin, and Defiant. There are other brands of locks, however, if you do decide to buy new locks yourself, these are the bands we recommend you look at first.

A common question is what do you do if you need more than four locks working with the same key? These manufactures have already thought this through for you. In every package there is a sticker with a code on it. In many cases the sticker will say “key,” or “key code,” and have a serial number on it. If you match the serial number between the packages, you will find the same keys work on all the locks.

After you know that you can get as many brand new locks as you want that work with the same key, the next question is, is it easy to replace them? Yes it is. First you need to understand that these manufactures are selling the locks to you, not to a professional locksmith. This means they are trying to make it easy to install them. Most locks such as deadbolts and knobs will come with an instruction booklet inside the package that will explain to you how to install the new locks. In most cases, each lock will have a total of four screws. You will need a Phillips head screwdriver and… that is about it. Before you become a professional locksmith, we want to give you a few more tips on how to install a door lock. First, if you have a power screwdriver we recommend you use it. Do not use the power screwdriver on the lock itself, but it is a good tool to use on the door or the door frame.

Tip: To avoid a difficult situation, try to get a new lock made by the same manufacture as your old lock. At least make sure they are the same size if not the same manufacture. This will help you avoid a situation where the new lock will not fit in the space that the old lock fit in.

Here is a quick guide on how to replace a door lock:

• To remove the old lock, always start by removing the screws on the old knob or deadbolt. Next, remove the screws from the old latch. Now you should be able to remove the old lock. After you remove the old lock, you will be able to remove the old latch as well. You can decide if you want to remove or keep your old strike plate. In many cases you can just leave the old strike plate on the door frame.
• To install the new lock, place the latch on the door and screw it in. When you place the latch on the door, look for the arrow with the word “up” on the latch to know the right direction to place the latch.
  Next, you can install the lock itself. The lock will only need two screws. Do not overtighten the screws on the lock.
• After you have the lock on the door, you need to check to make sure the latch will go into the door frame. If not, open the door and put the lock on the lock position. Then simply take for example lipstick or something sticky, color the latch where it will hit the door frame, put the lock back to the unlock position and close the door. Then repeatedly lock and unlock the lock to have the latch mark it’s spot on the doorframe. Now you can adjust the plate on the door frame.

Thank you for reading our blog. If you are installing new locks on your door and you cannot find all the answers you need here, please leave your question in the comment box and we will reply to you as soon as possible.