Why you should rekey your locks when you move
You got the keys. So did the last owner, their dog walker and possibly the contractor who redid the kitchen. Rekeying is the cheap fix.
- Dispatch for all of DC's eight wards
- Price list published online
- All major credit cards
Who else has a key
Unless you are the first person to live there, assume there are copies. Real-estate agents and lockbox codes. Former tenants. The previous owner's family, cleaners, babysitters. A contractor from three years ago. None of them mean harm, probably. But you can't check.
In a DC rowhouse divided into units, the list grows: a shared front door, a basement unit, a back gate on the alley.
What rekeying is
A pin-tumbler lock opens when the right key lifts small pins to a line. Rekeying replaces those pins with a new set, so only new keys work. The lock body, the handle and the deadbolt stay where they are. It's the reason rekeying costs less than a new lock: you pay for labour and pins, not hardware.
See the price list for current starting rates, and the rekey coupon if you have five locks.
Rekey or replace
Rekey when the locks work fine and you just want control of the keys. Replace when a lock is worn, loose or cheap; when you want a stronger deadbolt; or when the door has no deadbolt at all.
Notes for DC homes
Many older DC doors have mortise locks, which can be rekeyed too. Condo buildings may control the front-door fob and the mailbox, so ask the management office about those. And if you rent, check your lease before changing anything: some landlords require a copy of the new key.