When people move into new homes, they never know who might still have keys to the locks. The previous owners, contractors, housekeepers, and the previous owners’ family and friends could all have keys. Sometimes homeowners give keys to people and later decide that they no longer want them to have access to the house. In communities built by a single construction company, locks are often keyed so they can be opened with a master key, which creates a security risk for new residents who move in.

In those circumstances, people often think they need to have the locks changed to improve security and peace of mind. However, that is not necessarily true. In many cases, it is possible to rekey the locks to prevent unauthorized access. Read more “When to Rekey and When to Replace a Lock”