Lock Rekeying in Indianapolis

Rekeying changes the pins inside the cylinder you already own so a new key works and old keys do not. Replacing swaps the entire lock for new hardware. Rekeying gives you the same security outcome for a fraction of the cost unless the hardware itself is faulty or too low grade.

About 10 minutes per cylinder. A typical house with a front knob and deadbolt, a back door and a garage service door is four to six cylinders, so roughly 45 to 60 minutes including testing and cutting keys.

Yes, immediately and permanently. Once the pin stack is rebuilt to a new bitting, the old key cannot lift the pins to the shear line, so it will not turn. There is no window where both keys work.

Most residential brands — Kwikset, Schlage, Defiant, Baldwin, Weiser and similar — are rekeyed routinely. Some high-security cylinders such as Medeco, Mul-T-Lock and Abloy require restricted keyblanks and factory authorisation, which changes the cost and lead time. Tell dispatch the brand when you book.

Rekeying handles the key risk, but not the hardware risk. After a forced entry the strike plate, jamb and door edge are often damaged, and a lock that survived is not necessarily sound. The technician inspects the whole door and will recommend reinforcing the strike with longer screws into the stud, which is what actually resists kick-ins.