How Often Should You Rekey Your House? (Honest Answer)
Rekey services love telling you to rekey "every 1–2 years." That's overkill for most homes. The honest answer is "almost never, except after specific events."
Here's when it actually makes sense — and when it doesn't.
Definitive YES — rekey within 7 days
These situations are not "consider rekeying." They are "rekey immediately":
1. You just moved into a new home
The previous owner, their relatives, their contractor, their cleaner, their realtor, the neighbor who watched the dogs — they could all have a copy. Almost no one changes locks during a sale.
Rekey all exterior doors before your first night in the house if possible.
2. You lost a key — and you can't be sure where
If you know exactly where you dropped it (e.g. "in my own house"), find it first. If you have no idea where it might be — and it had your home address on it (mail nearby, etc.) — rekey.
3. After a breakup or roommate move-out
If they had a key and there's any chance they kept a copy (or made one), rekey. Especially if the breakup was contentious or the move-out wasn't fully amicable. $100 of insurance against a midnight visit.
4. After a burglary or attempted break-in
The lock might be damaged. The intruder might have your key or a copy. Rekey at minimum; replace damaged locks.
5. A contractor / cleaner / handyman had unsupervised access AND you're parting ways
Most contractors are great. But if you gave them a key for a 3-week reno and now the project's done — and there's any unease — rekey. Especially if they had access to a hidden key drop.
Probably YES — rekey within a month
6. You haven't rekeyed in 10+ years AND you bought the house used
Locks worn over a decade have looser tolerances. Rekeying refreshes the pins and resets any keys that might be floating around from earlier owners.
7. Your house was on the market and you used a realtor lockbox
Realtor lockboxes are secure-ish, but you have no real audit trail of who opened your door during showings. Many home buyers rekey day-of-closing for exactly this reason.
8. Different exterior doors have different keys
If you're carrying 4 keys for 4 doors, rekey them to all match. Convenience worth the $100.
Probably NO — don't bother
9. "It's been a year since last rekey"
If nothing else changed, calendar-based rekeying is a waste. A rekey doesn't prevent anything except access by people who already had a key. If your key inventory hasn't changed, neither has your security.
10. You just want "to feel safer"
Real security comes from the lock grade, the door frame strength, the alarm system, and lighting. Rekeying the same lock changes none of those. If you feel unsafe, upgrade the lock, not the key.
11. You replaced a few locks and forgot the rest
Don't half-rekey. If only your front door has been rekeyed but the back door and garage entry still use the old key — and someone has a copy of the old key — they still have access. Do all exterior doors or none.
The combination move (best ROI)
For most homeowners, the highest-ROI security move is:
- Rekey all exterior doors to one key (~$100 for 4 doors)
- Replace the front door deadbolt with a Schlage Grade 2 or smart lock ($95–$300)
- Use 3-inch screws in all strike plates (free — just upgrade hardware you already have)
Total: $200–$400. Done in 90 minutes. Massive upgrade from the typical builder-grade installation.
How fast we can come out
If you're in the "definitely yes" category and need it done same-day:
- Cornelius / Davidson / Huntersville: usually 30 min
- Charlotte / Mooresville: usually 30–45 min
- Concord / Kannapolis / Statesville: 45–60 min
- Extended service area (Gastonia, Hickory, etc.): by appointment
Call (336) 790-2233 for a quote. We charge $25 per cylinder for residential rekey, including 2 cut keys per door.
See lock rekeying service or our rekey vs replace comparison.