What does it mean to change locks, and when should you do it?
Changing locks means making sure the keys that used to open your doors no longer do. There are two ways to get there: rekey the locks you already have, or swap in new hardware. Either way, the point is the same. You decide who holds a working key, and nobody else does.
Most people call us for a handful of reasons. They just bought a house. They moved into a new place and don't know who has copies. A roommate or ex-partner left with a key. A key was lost or stolen. A contractor, cleaner, or former employee had access longer than you'd like. Some call because the locks are old, sticky, or loose and the front door no longer feels solid.
A simple rule works well here: if you can't account for every copy of a key, treat that lock as compromised. You don't need proof that someone misused a key. Not knowing is reason enough to change the lock.
Should you rekey or replace your locks?
This is the question we answer most, and the honest answer depends on the lock in your door, not on what is easier for us to sell. Rekeying means we open the lock cylinder, change the internal pins to fit a new key, and the old keys stop working. The handle, deadbolt, and finish stay exactly as they are. You can read more about that on our lock rekey page.
Replacing means the old lock comes off and new hardware goes on. That is the right call when the lock itself is the problem, or when you want something better than what you have. Our lock replacement page covers that side in more detail. Here is how we think about the choice:
- Rekey when the hardware works smoothly, the latch and bolt line up with the door frame, and you like how the lock looks.
- Rekey when you want several doors on one key. Matching cylinders can usually be set to the same key, which saves you from carrying a heavy ring.
- Rekey when you want the more economical route. With sound hardware, it is usually the lighter-cost option.
- Replace when the lock is worn, loose, corroded, or has been forced or tampered with.
- Replace when the lock is so old that parts or compatible cylinders are hard to find.
- Replace when you want an upgrade, such as a higher-grade deadbolt or a keypad lock, rather than the same lock with a new key.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366How does a lock change work, step by step?
Here is what happens when you call us for a lock change in Azusa. The details shift from door to door, but the order stays the same.
- You call (213) 577-1366. A person answers around the clock. Tell us how many doors are involved, what kind of locks you have if you know, and what prompted the change.
- We send a mobile van to your address. We will give you an honest arrival estimate on the phone, and we will tell you if distance affects the job.
- Before we touch a lock, we confirm the property is yours or that you are authorized to change it.
- We inspect every lock involved: brand, condition, how the bolt meets the strike plate, and whether the cylinder can be rekeyed.
- We lay out your options in plain terms, rekey versus replace for each door, and explain what drives the cost before any work begins.
- We do the work, then test every new key several times. We check the lock with the door open and closed, and we confirm the bolt throws fully.
- We hand over the new keys and talk through extra copies if you need them. If we noticed anything weak about the door or frame, we tell you what we saw.
What affects the cost of changing locks in Azusa?
We won't throw out a number before we know what is on your door, and you should be wary of anyone who does. Lock changes vary a lot. These are the real factors:
- How many locks you are changing. A single front door is a different job from a whole house with side doors and a garage entry.
- Rekey or replace. Rekeying existing hardware usually costs less than new locks, but new locks bring new parts.
- The grade and brand of hardware. Standard builder-grade locks and high-security cylinders are priced very differently.
- Whether doors should be keyed alike. One key for every door can take extra work if the existing cylinders are mismatched.
- Smart or keypad locks. The lock itself, the setup, and code programming all factor in.
- The condition of the door. A swollen door, a misaligned strike plate, or a lock that was forced may need repair work along with the lock change.
- Time of day. A late-night call is a different situation from a scheduled daytime visit.
- Travel. Azusa is about 35 miles from our Westwood base, so we will tell you plainly if distance plays into the quote.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What should you do about locks after buying a house or moving in?
When you buy a home, you have no idea how many keys exist. The previous owner had copies. So may have a former tenant, a real estate contact, a contractor, a neighbor who watered the plants, or a family member. None of them did anything wrong, but you still don't want them to hold working keys to your front door.
The best timing is before your first night in the place, or as close to key handoff as you can manage. For most houses with decent hardware, rekeying is the practical choice. Every key in circulation stops working, and you keep the locks you already have. If the hardware is tired or you want a different level of security, we will say so and show you the replacement route.
When we walk through a house, we look for every entry point that should be on your new key:
- Front door lock and deadbolt
- Back door and any side doors
- The door between the house and the garage
- Garage side door and any shed or outbuilding locks
- Gate locks, if the property has them
- The mailbox lock, which is easy to forget
- Keypad or smart locks, where codes and user accounts from the previous owner should be cleared
Changing locks in Azusa: Rosedale, downtown, and the APU area
Azusa has a few very different kinds of housing, and the right lock change depends on which one you are in. Everything here falls within ZIP code 91702.
Rosedale is the large master-planned community built out since the mid-2000s on the former Monrovia Nursery site. Rekeying newly purchased homes there is one of the most common reasons people call us in Azusa. Rosedale homes lean toward builder-grade and smart hardware. Builder-grade locks can usually be rekeyed, but many new owners use the purchase as the moment to upgrade. If your home has a smart lock, a lock change often means clearing old user codes and credentials rather than only swapping a key. If you want to add one, see our smart lock installation page.
Near the historic downtown and the Azusa Avenue corridor, you find early-1900s bungalows and postwar tracts. Older homes in that area often still have dated locksets. Sometimes they can be rekeyed. Other times the lock is worn enough, or unusual enough, that replacing it makes more sense than putting a new key into tired hardware. We make that call lock by lock after looking at each one.
Around Azusa Pacific University, in the University District, student rentals and apartment complexes mean frequent turnover. A roommate leaves with a key, a lease ends, or a tenant moves out and the next one moves in. If you own rental property, our page for locksmith for landlords explains how we handle turnover rekeys. If you are a tenant locked out while sorting this out, that is a different service.
In Mountain Cove, the gated community at the mouth of San Gabriel Canyon, changing the locks on your own front door is the same job as anywhere else. The community gate and entry hardware is separate from your door locks, and if that needs work, see gate lock repair.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Can Santa Ana winds, dust, and heat affect a lock change?
Yes, in a few practical ways. Azusa sits at the mouth of San Gabriel Canyon, which funnels strong Santa Ana winds through town. Combined with hot, dry summers, that means wind-blown dust and heat expansion on sun-facing doors.
Dust works its way into lock cylinders and makes keys stick or turn roughly. Many people assume the lock is failing when it just needs cleaning and the right lubricant. We use dry lubricants rather than oily sprays, because oil attracts more dust. Heat is the other factor. A sun-facing door can swell slightly and bind in its frame, so the deadbolt doesn't fully throw even though nothing is wrong inside the lock.
Before we sell you a new lock, we check the alignment of the door and strike plate. Sometimes a lock change is not the fix you need, and we would rather tell you that than replace hardware that was fine. If the problem is the lock mechanism itself, our lock repair service covers it.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key to change your locks?
We have been in business since 1987. We run a storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, plus mobile service vans that come to you. We serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and Azusa is one of them. We are not around the corner, and we won't pretend to be. But when you call, you reach our company, not a call center selling your job to whoever answers first.
That is the main difference. We are one company, with no dispatch middlemen. The person who takes your call works for the same business that sends the van. David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work. If a lock change turns out to need more than you expected, you are dealing with the same people from the first call to the last key handed over.
Our phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round at (213) 577-1366. That matters for lock changes because the need often shows up at awkward times: a late closing, a move-in after dark, or a lost wallet with house keys in it.
How can you check a locksmith before they work on your door?
Lock work is a trust business, so it is fair to ask questions. California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, which is issued through the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. Ask any locksmith for it, including us, and check that the name on the license matches the business at your door.
A few other habits protect you:
- Ask for a clear quote that explains what is included before work starts.
- Be careful with vague advertised prices that change once someone arrives.
- Ask whether rekeying is possible before agreeing to replace hardware.
- Be wary of anyone who wants to drill out a lock that simply needs rekeying.
- Expect to be asked to show you are entitled to change the locks. A legitimate locksmith asks.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change the locks after buying a house in Azusa?
Call us at (213) 577-1366. We come to the house, look at each lock, and recommend rekeying or replacing for each door. Rekeying is usually the practical choice when hardware is in good shape. Doing it before you move in means no previous key works.
Is it better to rekey or replace my locks?
It depends on the hardware. If your locks work smoothly and you like them, rekeying is usually the more economical route. If they are worn, damaged, very old, or you want an upgrade, replacing makes more sense. We check each lock before recommending anything.
Will my old keys still work after you change the locks?
No. After a rekey or replacement, only the new keys work. Old keys, including copies you did not know existed, will no longer turn the lock. If you want more keys later, we can cut copies from your new key.
Can you put all my doors on the same key?
Often yes. Matching cylinders can usually be set to one key, so front, back, and garage entry doors all work with the same one. If some locks are a different brand or keyway, we may need to replace one or two to make that work. We tell you during the inspection.
Do you change locks at night or on weekends?
Yes. Our phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round. Late-night lock changes happen often after a theft, a lost key, or a late move-in. When you call, we give you an honest arrival estimate for Azusa.
I rent near Azusa Pacific University. Can I change my own locks?
Check your lease first and talk to your landlord or property manager. Many leases limit lock changes, and we will ask you to show you are authorized before we touch a lock. If a landlord wants a rekey between tenants, we can work with them directly.
I have a smart lock in my Rosedale home. Do I need a new one?
Not always. If the lock still works well, the fix may be clearing old user codes, resetting credentials, and rekeying the backup key cylinder. If the lock is outdated or you want a different model, we can replace it. We look at it first.
Do I need to be home while you change the locks?
You or someone authorized should be there at least at the start, so we can confirm the work is approved and you can see the options. Afterward, you will want to test the new keys with us before we leave.
What if my door sticks or won't latch when I try to change the lock?
That is common in Azusa, where heat can swell sun-facing doors and dust gets into cylinders. We check the door alignment and strike plate before deciding whether you need a new lock. Sometimes the lock is fine and the fix is adjustment or cleaning.
More locksmith help in Azusa
Change Locks near Azusa
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.