When Should You Change Your Locks?
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Licensed, bonded & insuredPublished On:June 21, 2019
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You closed on a house last week, and the previous owner handed you three keys with no real idea how many others are still out there, given to cleaners, agents, neighbors, and contractors over the years. A tenant moved out of your rental and returned one key when you know you issued two. A staff member left the company on Friday and still has a key to the back office. Every one of these is the same problem in a different form: people you did not choose can still open a door you depend on.
Changing the locks is how you take that access back, and it is one of the most common jobs a locksmith does. The harder question is not whether to act, but which fix you actually need. Replacing a lock, rekeying it, and upgrading it are three different answers to three different situations, and paying for the wrong one is easy to do. This guide covers every reason a home or a business should change its locks, and how to tell which fix the moment actually calls for.
In This Article
What We Cover
When to change the locks on your home
At home, almost every reason to change a lock comes back to access. Someone who should not be able to open your door still can, or you can no longer be sure who can. It is rarely the lock failing and usually the people who have held a key over the years. These are the situations that should prompt a change or a rekey:
- You just moved in: the keys you were handed are almost never the only ones in circulation. Previous owners, real estate agents, cleaners, and contractors all tend to keep copies, and none of that history is anything you can see or undo. Resetting every exterior lock is one of the first things worth doing in a new home.
- A key is lost or stolen: once a key is genuinely gone, you cannot assume it is sitting harmlessly in a parking lot somewhere. Changing or rekeying the lock makes that key useless before anyone has the chance to try it against your door.
- After a break-in or a failed attempt: a lock that was forced, drilled, or pried is compromised even if it still turns, and it should be replaced rather than trusted a second time.
- A roommate, tenant, or partner moves out: anyone who held a key and no longer belongs on the list is a clear reason to reset the lock, and all the more so when the parting was not on good terms.
- The lock is aging or stiff: a key that fights you, a bolt that no longer seats fully, or a knob gone loose is hardware telling you it is near the end of its working life.
Most of these situations do not call for new hardware at all. When the lock still works fine and access is the only concern, a rekey resets who can open the door for far less than a replacement, a distinction we lay out in full in rekeying versus changing your locks.
When a business should change or upgrade its locks
A business carries the same access risks as a home, multiplied by every employee, contractor, and tenant ever handed a key, and with far more sitting behind the door. Turnover alone means a commercial lock rarely stays settled for long. The triggers that should put a lock change on the calendar include:
- An employee leaves: the concern grows with the person’s reach, and anyone who carried a master key or a key to a records room, stockroom, or cash office warrants a rekey of what they could open.
- A master key goes missing: a single lost master can open an entire building, which usually means rekeying the affected system rather than one door.
- A break-in or a security scare: damaged hardware gets replaced, and it is the natural moment to move up a grade from whatever failed.
- A lease or tenant turns over: incoming occupants should never inherit the last tenant’s keys, and property managers who rekey between tenants save themselves a long list of problems.
- Keys have become a burden: when reissuing and tracking keys starts eating real time, the sensible answer is often to stop using them altogether.
When keys become that kind of burden, many businesses stop using them and switch to access control, electric strikes, or exit hardware. Dallas businesses tend to reach this stage first, and we go deeper on the upgrade path in when a Dallas business should change or upgrade its locks.
Rekey, replace, or upgrade: which one you need
Once you have decided a lock needs attention, the real question is which of three routes to take, and they are not interchangeable. Choosing the right one saves money and gets you the result you actually wanted:
- Rekeying keeps your existing hardware and changes only the internal pins, so your old keys stop working and you carry a new one. It is the cheapest route and the right one when the lock is in good condition and access is your only worry.
- Replacing removes the hardware and installs new, which is what you want when a lock is damaged, badly worn, or you are changing the style of lock on the door.
- Upgrading is replacing with a purpose, moving from a builder-grade knob to a real deadbolt, a keypad or smart lock, or a high-security cylinder that resists picking and bumping.
Which route makes sense depends on the condition of the lock and what the door needs to do, and an honest locksmith will often talk you out of a full replacement when a rekey would have done the same job.
Expert Tip
Before you agree to replace anything, ask whether a rekey would solve your problem. If the problem is who might have a key, and not a lock that is broken, rekeying resets access for a fraction of the cost of new hardware, and a reputable locksmith will tell you so instead of selling you hardware you do not need.
Changing your locks as a security upgrade
Not every lock change is a reaction to something going wrong. Plenty of homeowners and businesses change their locks simply because the ones they have are no longer good enough, and a lock change is the easiest moment to raise the standard of the whole door. If you are already paying for the visit, it is worth asking what a better lock would add. Common upgrades include:
- A proper deadbolt on any exterior door that only has a knob or a tired builder-grade lock.
- Smart and keypad locks that let you enter with a code and stop you cutting a key for everyone who needs to get in.
- High-security cylinders with restricted keys that cannot be copied at a hardware store.
- Access control and electronic entry for a business ready to manage its doors by credential rather than by key.
Upgrading is one of the best reasons to change a lock that works perfectly well. Here the goal is not to fix a problem but to raise your security. There is more on this in reasons to upgrade your home locks, written with College Station homeowners in mind.
How soon you should change your locks
Not every reason to change a lock carries the same urgency, and knowing the difference keeps you from either overreacting or waiting too long. A lost or stolen key and a break-in are same-day problems, because the risk is live and every hour the old key still works is an hour of exposure. An employee leaving or a tenant moving out is close behind, best handled before the next person moves in or the next shift starts.
Other reasons can be planned. Moving into a new home matters but is rarely an emergency, so it can wait for the first week rather than the first night. And a lock that is simply old and stiff is one you can schedule at your convenience, before it fails on its own. If your locks have reached that worn-out stage, it may be time to replace them rather than keep nursing them along, something we see often in Waco’s older homes.
Getting a lock change done right
A lock change is only as good as the work behind it, and a few things separate a job that genuinely secures the door from one that only looks finished:
- Every exterior door, not just the front: back and side doors are the ones intruders prefer, so a rekey that skips them leaves the weak point wide open.
- Real key control: ask for keys that are documented and, where it matters, restricted, so you are not back in the same spot the next time a copy is cut.
- The right hardware for the door: an exterior door, a fire door, and an interior door each call for different locks and grades, and matching them is part of the job.
- A full working test: a lock that turns on the bench but binds in the frame is not finished, so the bolt, the strike, and the alignment all get checked before anyone leaves.
This behind-the-scenes work is what makes a lock change hold up over time, and it is the reason the job is worth giving to a professional rather than a weekend do-it-yourself attempt.
Change, rekey, or upgrade your locks with Texas Premier Locksmith
Whether you have just moved in, lost a key, had a break-in, or want to move a business off metal keys, it starts with a quick look at the door. Texas Premier Locksmith rekeys, replaces, and upgrades residential and commercial locks across Texas, including Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, College Station, Waco, Killeen, and Tyler. Call 512-893-5811 or request service, and we will help you choose the fix that actually fits your situation.
Written By
TPL
Texas Premier Locksmith Team
Texas Licensed Locksmith — License #B17236
This post was written by the team at Texas Premier Locksmith, a licensed and fully mobile locksmith serving homes and businesses across Texas. Our technicians rekey, replace, and upgrade residential and commercial locks, from a single deadbolt to full access control.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should I rekey or replace my locks?
It depends on the lock and the reason. If the lock still works well and your only concern is who might have a key, rekeying resets access for much less than new hardware. If the lock is damaged, badly worn, or you want a different style of lock on the door, replacing is the better spend.
How much does it cost to change the locks on a house?
It varies with how many doors you have, whether you rekey or replace, and the grade of hardware you choose. Rekeying an existing lock is the least expensive option, while replacing or upgrading to new deadbolts, smart locks, or high-security cylinders costs more. A locksmith can price it accurately once they see the doors.
Do I need to change the locks when I move into a new house?
It is one of the first things worth doing. The keys you were handed are almost never the only ones out there, since previous owners, agents, cleaners, and contractors all tend to keep copies. Rekeying every exterior lock in the first week resets who can open your doors without the cost of all new hardware.
How long does it take to change or rekey a lock?
Most rekeys and standard replacements take only a few minutes per lock, so a home or a small office is usually done in a single visit. Larger jobs, such as a master key system or access control for a business, take longer and are planned in advance.