Whether you’re a new homeowner or have lived in your house for a while, your keys represent ownership of the property as well as security for your loved ones and your possessions. Being handed the keys to a new home is a big moment that signals the completion of your real estate transaction. Putting those keys into the lock and turning the knob for the first time as the owner is a great feeling. Or, at least it should be.
For many new and current homeowners, however, keys may be a source of unease, either because of valid reasons to rekey their home or questions about whether they should.
You might consider rekeying your home if:
- You’ve just purchased your home or are a current homeowner and aren’t sure how many key copies may be floating around (or who has them)
- You’ve lost track of how many key copies have been made and who’s in possession of them
- You’ve been the victim of a crime and had personal belongings taken, such as keys, your identification, your purse or wallet
- You’ve misplaced or lost your keys, wallet, purse, or backpack
- You’ve had a relationship status change
- A family member or friend has lost their copy of your key
- You’ve changed roommates or home service providers (such as a house keeper, babysitter, dog walker, etc.) who had a key copy or access to your keys
- You need or want to have identical keys that work for multiple keyholes
- You want to make sure that your home does not have a universal lock or keyhole that can be opened with a master key
- You’d like for a contractor to examine the lock cylinder for damage or wear during the rekey process
For more helpful tips, visit the American Home Shield® Home Matters blog.