Why Rekeying Your Office Locks Is A Smart Security Move

Did you know that lock rekeying can lead to the greater security of a premises? The concept involves making adjustments to the lock’s mechanism and it’s a proactive approach to ensuring old keys no longer work.

The process is important in specific scenarios. We will explore everything there is to know about rekeying office locks, giving you all the information you need and details about how to choose professionals like Lock-Up Services, to complete the office rekeying process for you. Here’s why lock rekeying is a smart security step for businesses.

What Is Lock Rekeying?

Lock rekeying is a process in which internal pins are recalibrated, or tumblers are adjusted. This has specific outcomes. For instance, the recalibrated pins or tumblers will then match a new key, which will fit the new, rekeyed lock, and the pins will have a new combination.

Now, there are a few specific situations in which you might want to complete lock rekeying. For instance, this might be when you’re moving offices or have lost a key to the office.

• Moving offices: This situation calls for lock rekeying for a few reasons. For instance, you may not know how many copies of your old office key have been made. You also may be unsure who has a copy of the office key – so to ensure unauthorized individuals cannot enter the office, and to reinforce the security of the space, you can rekey the office lock.
• Losing a key to the office: This scenario requires lock rekeying, again, because you may not know if your key has fallen in the wrong hands once you have lost it. Rekeying in this circumstance goes beyond just making a key and lock replacement – it specifically prevents unauthorized access and enhances security by ensuring old keys can no longer function in the rekeyed lock.
• An individual has entered the office with a stolen key: This circumstance warrants a lock rekeying process for one specific reason – the office key may have been stolen. In this situation, rekeying locks has a few benefits. For instance, it can be a quick process to get the situation under control, and it also restores security to the building by ensuring thieves can no longer use the stolen key to access the office in the future.

Safety of Lock Rekeying

As you prepare for rekeying, you may wonder if it’s a process that affects the security of the lock. And you will find that it is a process that will not augment or reduce the security of the lock itself. However, when we compare this process to lock replacement, there are a few pros and cons to consider:

Advantages of Rekeying Locks

Rekeying locks is a highly cost-effective approach to restoring the security of your premises. For instance, the average cost of rekeying a lock in the Greater Toronto Area is between $45 and $150.

But for a lock replacement, such as a mortise cylinder lock swap, costs range between $150 and $320 – and this will come down to the amount of security the lock presents. So, it’s clear from these examples that rekeying is the more cost-effective option out of the two.

As mentioned, the rekeying process is also very quick, when a professional locksmith handles the process. For instance, this process can take between 15 or 30 minutes, with more complex rekeying jobs taking around 40 minutes, while lock replacement takes upward of 30 minutes on average.

Disadvantages of Rekeying Locks

There’s a limitation in terms of the level of security that rekeying locks provides – it isn’t as robust or on the same level as a lock replacement. For instance, opportunists can pick these locks and other issues such as duplicate keys threaten the integrity of the lock and the security of the premises.

It’s also not possible to rekey locks that have a faulty lock mechanism. For instance, if the lock has experienced wear and tear, it might not be eligible for rekeying – and in situations when the lock mechanism has broken, a lock replacement is the better solution.

Advantages of Replacing Locks

The advantages of replacing locks include eliminating unauthorized access to the office space with a more secure locking mechanism, especially if the lock currently on the office door is old or damaged. This is because the brand new locking mechanism that comes with the replacement lock can be more robust and offer more security.

Beyond the locking mechanism itself, it’s also possible to benefit from unique features with office lock replacements in terms of advanced features. For instance, anti-pick pins can be used to make lock picking more difficult. They work thanks to their irregular or specific grooves that resist lock picking, enhancing security more greatly than rekeying options.

Disadvantages of Replacing Locks

Replacing locks is not beneficial in many cases because it can be time consuming, which isn’t ideal when you need to act fast to mitigate unauthorized access to a building. For instance, it can take up to one hour to complete a very complex lock replacement.

It’s also true that even though more options are available with lock replacement, they can be more costly. For instance, you might be considering a lock with anti-drill features, which work because their ceramic plates and steel cylinders stand up to the drilling action. However, these can be to the cost – approximately $15 or $20 for the highest-grade options.

Step-By-Step Guide to Rekeying a Lock

If rekeying a lock sounds like the ideal solution, and you have never taken on this task, you’ll need a guide to ensure you complete the process successfully. Here are the steps you’ll need to take.

Purchase a Rekeying Kit

It begins with a rekeying kit. Now, these kits contain a few essential elements. For instance, you will find a set of new keys, which tends to be between three and six, as well as new colour-coded pins to help you allocate where they should be positioned. They’ll additionally feature tools to make cylinder plug removal easier and springs, key gauges and additional tools.

When finding a rekeying kit, it’s recommended to consider positively reviewed hardware suppliers and professional locksmith suppliers. Ensure the hardware store supplier you choose has exceptional reviews and testimonials that advocate for the quality of their products, as this endorsement will help you select the correct and best brand of lock rekeying kit. Ensure the kit is made exactly for your brand of door lock.

Remove the Lock

You will need to remove the lock in a safe and organized manner. Now, this requires a few steps. For instance, use a Philips screwdriver to remove the lock’s screws that are on the interior side of the door, and keep each one in a safe place. Remove the spindle by first turning it counter-clockwise, and as it ceases to move, it should be easily pushed out when you press on the tab.

Place each component onto a clean and flat surface to ensure you do not lose them.

Disassemble the Lock Cylinder

Next, continue by disassembling the lock cylinder. You will be able to do this by inserting the key and turning it 90 degrees back. Look for a small hole in the knob and insert the catch tool to release the knob and reveal the cylinder. You can then remove the key from the lock and the cylinder from the knob with the spanner tool after removing the knob’s cap.

As you slide the cylinder from the cap, by threading the plastic tube follower through the back of the cylinder, use a consistent pressure. This is important because, as the cylinder is released from its casing, the pins and springs will not fall out.

Replace the Pins

Disassemble the lock cylinder’s C-clip with the spanner and then insert and turn the key 45 degrees. Remove the pins and place the new ones after replacing the old key with the new key in the mechanism. Now, as you insert the new pins, it’s also important to have the key inserted into the mechanism and drop the corresponding pins into each plug.

But, as an extra step, it’s important to ensure all pins lie flush with the top of each plug. This action will ensure the cylinder, key and pins function correctly.

Reassemble the Lock

It’s now time to reassemble the lock, and you can do this by reinserting the new key and mechanism complete with the pins into the cylinder. For this, keep the new key turned at a 45 degree angle. As soon as the mechanism is in place, turn the key so it is vertically positioned in the lock and place the C-clip into the cylinder’s rear.

Reinstall the Lock

You can then take the key out and put the cylinder back into the knob. Once you have put the cap in its place, you can re-insert it into the spindle. A couple of steps are important here. For instance, our tip for placing this correctly is to align the shank gap found on the knob with the spindle’s slot to then reinstall the lock with a firm push.

Ensuring these elements are all functional requires you to ensure the knob snaps securely into place and links correctly with the catch.

Professional Rekeying Services

You have the alternative option of contacting a professional commercial locksmith if you aren’t confident in your ability to rekey the lock alone. And there are a couple of factors to think about when choosing one of these services to keep your office secure.

Cost Considerations

As mentioned, there are a few cost considerations for rekeying services. For instance, these can be anywhere between $45 and $150. These specific prices can include labour costs, specific to each professional locksmith and hardware costs.

How to Choose a Locksmith

With the costs in mind, it’s now time to choose a locksmith – a process for which we have a few tips. You will of course want a reliable expert to complete this job, so here is how to choose a locksmith to complete your office rekeying task:

• Consider reviews: Just as you would consider the reviews of hardware store suppliers when purchasing a rekeying kit, look at locksmith’s online reviews before you choose one. Reviews reflect the reliability of the service and are a testament to their abilities.
• Look at their experience: A professional locksmith will have plenty of experience, but it’s important to check if they have experience related to rekeying a lock. If they also have experience with rekeying office locks or have worked on commercial locks, this can show they are capable of completing the job.
• Check whether they are licensed: A license reflects the legitimacy and proficiency of a locksmith, speaking to their ability to serve their community and work with a range of lock types despite their complexity. It proves they are recognized for their skills. For these reasons, it’s always worth checking whether the locksmith you are considering is licensed.

If you are searching for a reputable locksmith, Lock-Up Services is a trusted option in Toronto and has been serving the area since 1967. Our decades of experience means we can rekey locks quickly, restoring your security and keeping your office safe.

Final Thoughts on Lock Rekeying from Lock-Up Services

Rekeying is a safe and low-cost, fast and reliable way to restore security to an office. With our step by step guide, starting with getting the right kit and ending with reassembling the lock, you can complete the process yourself.

Alternatively, the Toronto commercial locksmiths at Lock-Up Services are available should you need to call a locksmith for lock rekeying, installation or replacement. We offer expert commercial locksmith services or various types of locks to restore security to your office space. Contact us today. Keep your office secure with the help of our professionals at Lock-Up Services.