By By Annie Blanco
A change of residence is one of the most common reasons for needing to rekey a door lock. Other situations that call for changing a lock may include hiring new employees, or a change in renters of your property. Whatever the case may be, rekeying your locks and when to do it should be taken very seriously and is a major part of good home security. After all, knowledge and best practices can make all the difference in keeping you and your home safe.
According to a Kwikset American Security Study, nearly one-third of homeowners have lived in their current residence for five years or less. And while moving into a new home can be very exciting, it’s also a vulnerable time for home security because there is no telling how many people have copies of your house key. That is, unless you have physically changed or rekeyed the locks yourself, which is an affordable, smart and simple way to up your odds of foiling a break-in before it ever occurs.
According to Kwikset, the following are five important reasons to rekey or change the locks at home
You have lost, stolen, or unreturned keys.
More than half of homeowners routinely loan out house keys to people who don’t live there. For example, housekeepers, gardeners, babysitters, neighbors and so on.
You have recently moved.
A shocking 47 percent of U.S. homeowners did not rekey their locks upon moving into their home, with about a third having never rekeyed or changed their locks at any point since living there.
You have new tenants.
When tenants move out, they give the key back. But there’s no way to know if they’re holding on to a copy. Ensure the security of your rental unit by rekeying the lock immediately upon tenant departure. Not only will this ensure no unwanted “houseguests” are staying on the premises while vacant, but it’s also important for the safety of your new tenants.
You are remodeling, upgrading, or updating.
Even when working with the most reputable contractors, the minute you give them a house key you are giving up control over your own home security. There is no telling how many copies they could potentially make, and there is no guarantee of the integrity of their subcontractors.
You would prefer one-key convenience.
Imagine how much easier it would be if one key unlocked all the points of entry to your home. No more fumbling through key rings trying to decipher which key unlocks what.
Remember, the majority of the time Burglary happens during the day. Moreover, homeowners are making it simple for the burglar to break-in by leaving their front door unlocked and/or vulnerable. Don’t leave your doors vulnerable by not rekeying your locks. Spend a little extra money and time researching what locks work best for your home and how much those locks will cost. It’s a minimal cost to pay if that means preventing a break-in.
Contact the experts at Godby Safe & Lock for all of your locksmith needs.