Whether you just moved into a new home or have been in the same house for a while, it might be a good time for you to look into changing your locks. But is rekeying a better option? Most home warranties cover at least one of these. 

They say that one of the first things you should do when you move into a new home is change the locks. You never know who might have a key to your new front door. Changing or rekeying your home’s locks might be a good idea if you’ve lived in the same house for a while or if you’ve recently had a roommate move out, too.

Our partners at American Home Shield® are sharing their tips on whether you should change or rekey the locks on your home.

When to change a lock

When you change a lock, you or a locksmith removes the old locking door hardware and replaces it with new hardware. You’ll have all new locks and all new keys, but changing your locks can be expensive and isn’t always necessary.

Some situations that may require you to change a lock:

• Your locks are old and wearing out
• You want to replace your locks with more modern, secure, or updated locks
• All your doors are different brands and you want them to be the same
• You’ve lost the key and can’t, or don’t want to, rekey it

When to rekey locks

When you rekey your locks, you’re altering the lock mechanism so that the old key will no longer open it. Instead, a new key will be necessary. In many circumstances, rekeying your locks makes more sense than changing your locks.

Some situations that may require you to rekey your locks:

• If your locks are the same brand/have the same keyhole, but use different keys
• If you’ve lost a copy of a key and are worried someone will find it
• If you’ve moved into a new home for the first time

How to rekey a lock

If you know the brand or keyhole style of your locks, you may be able to buy a lock rekeying kit from your local home hardware store. But, while most homeowners already have the tools they need to change locks, rekeying them can require special tools, and those can be expensive.

That’s why it’s easier for most homeowners to hire a locksmith to rekey their locks.

Fortunately, if you have an American Home Shield® Home Warranty, rekeying service is covered, depending on your plan. Continue reading to learn how you can make a rekey service request with American Home Shield.