Change Locks in Sylmar, CA: Rekey or Replace, Done Right

Should you change your locks in Sylmar by rekeying or replacing?

When people ask us to change the locks, they usually mean one of two different jobs, and most don't realize it until we ask which one they want. The first is rekeying: we keep the lock you already have, change the internal pins in the cylinder, and cut new keys so the old keys stop working. The second is replacing the hardware: we remove the old knob, lever or deadbolt and install a new one that comes with its own new keys.

From a security standpoint, both end the same way. Keys that used to open the door no longer do. The difference is what you're left with afterward. Rekeying keeps the look, finish and feel of hardware you already like. Replacing changes the hardware itself, which matters when a lock is worn out, damaged, mismatched, or just not strong enough for the door it sits on.

That's why we start with a short conversation and a look at the door, not a sales pitch. If rekeying will do the job, we'll tell you so. If the hardware is the real problem, we'll show you what we see and explain why.

When do people change door locks?

Almost every lock change comes from the same underlying question: who else has a key? You can't know the answer for sure unless you change what the key fits. Here are the situations we hear about most often.

If you just bought a house, you are a prime candidate. Over the life of a home, keys end up with previous owners, their relatives, real estate agents, contractors, cleaners, house sitters and neighbors who once watered the plants. None of those people are necessarily a risk, but you have no way of confirming who still holds a copy. A locksmith visit in the first days after closing, ideally before the boxes come in, is one of the most sensible things a new homeowner can do.

• You bought a house and don't know how many keys are out there.
• You moved into a rental or a place that has changed hands and want your own keys on every door.
• A key was lost or stolen, or a set went home with someone you no longer trust, such as a former roommate, ex-partner or past helper.
• There was a break-in or an attempt, and the lock, strike plate or frame took damage.
• The lock is worn: the key sticks, the deadbolt doesn't throw all the way, or the handle sags.
• You want every exterior door on one key instead of a ring of mismatched ones.
• You're upgrading to a stronger deadbolt or getting ready for an electronic lock.

How we change locks, step by step

There's nothing mysterious about a lock change, and you should know what's going to happen before a stranger works on your front door. This is how a typical visit goes.

1. You call (213) 577-1366. The phone is answered at any hour, every day of the year. Tell us how many doors are involved, what kind of locks you have if you know, and why you want them changed.
2. A technician comes to you in one of our mobile service vans, so the work happens at your door instead of you carrying hardware around.
3. Before touching anything, the technician looks at each door: the type and condition of the lock, the thickness of the door, the bore holes, the strike plate and the frame.
4. We tell you what we recommend door by door, rekey or replace, and explain why. You hear the cost before work begins, not after.
5. We do the work. For a rekey, that means opening the cylinders, changing the pins and cutting new keys. For a replacement, that means removing the old hardware and fitting the new set so it lines up properly with the door and strike.
6. We test each lock with the door open and closed. Keys should turn smoothly, and the deadbolt should throw fully into the strike without forcing.
7. We hand over the keys, tell you how many were cut, and point out anything we noticed along the way, such as a loose strike plate or screws that are too short to do much.

How much does it cost to change locks in Sylmar?

We won't quote a number on a web page, because the honest answer depends on your doors. What we can do is tell you exactly what moves the cost up or down, so nothing surprises you when the technician gives you a quote.

In general, rekeying is usually the more economical route when your existing hardware is sound, because you aren't buying new locks. Replacement costs more because the hardware itself is part of the job, and better hardware costs more than basic hardware.

• How many locks are involved. A single front door and a whole house with a back door, side door and garage entry are very different jobs.
• Rekey or replace. Reusing good hardware is lighter on cost than buying new sets.
• The grade and finish of new hardware. Heavier-duty deadbolts and specialty finishes cost more than standard ones.
• Keyed alike or separate. Putting every door on one key takes some planning, and the pin work differs from keying each lock on its own.
• The number of keys you want cut. Extra copies add a little each.
• The condition of the door and frame. A lock that can't seat properly because of a warped door or damaged strike may need more than a simple swap.
• The time of day. A call in the middle of the night is not scheduled work, and that can affect the price.
• Travel. Sylmar is roughly 24 miles from our Westwood storefront, and that distance is part of how we price a mobile visit.

Rekey or replace locks: how to decide

Here's the rule of thumb we use on the job. If the lock is in good mechanical shape and you like it, rekey it. If the lock is tired, damaged or not up to the job, replace it. A few specific cases make the choice easier.

Some people want a stronger lock on the front door at the same time as the key change. If your door only has a knob lock with no separate deadbolt, that's the moment to look at deadbolt installation. If you've been thinking about keypad or app-based entry, a lock change is a natural time to talk through smart lock installation and whether it fits your door and your habits.

• Rekey when the hardware is in good condition, the brand is reasonable, and you're happy with how it looks.
• Rekey when you want several doors on the same key without replacing everything.
• Replace when the lock is loose, worn, corroded or visibly damaged.
• Replace after a break-in attempt if the lock body or strike was forced.
• Replace when you want a higher-security deadbolt than the one that's there.
• Replace when the existing locks are a mismatched set from different eras and you'd rather start fresh.
• Replace when you're moving to an electronic lock.

Changing locks in Sylmar homes: what we see around 91342

Sylmar's housing stock shapes how we approach a lock change. Much of the area is postwar through 1980s tract homes, and the streets around Los Angeles Mission College are a good example of the kind of neighborhood where we get calls to rekey after a move-in. In houses of that age, hardware has often been swapped piecemeal over the years, so it's common for the front door, back door and garage entry to be three different brands on three different keys. Changing the locks is the chance to put the whole house on one key and see which pieces are worth keeping.

Newer gated townhome and small-lot developments sit near Foothill Boulevard, and the Foothill Boulevard corridor, along with the Glenoaks Boulevard corridor and the Hubbard Street corridor, covers a mix of older and newer homes. In a gated townhome, the front door is usually the main thing to deal with, and if your community has any rules about exterior hardware, check before choosing a finish. Homes in the Polk Street area, the Olive View area and the El Cariso area tend to follow the tract pattern, so rekeying is often a practical choice there when the existing locks are still in good shape.

The foothill edges add a different mix. Larger parcels, including horse-keeping properties near Kagel Canyon and Lopez Canyon, tend to have long driveways, detached garages and perimeter gates, which means a lock change can involve more than the front door. A new owner on one of those lots may want the house, the garage, an outbuilding and a gate all accounted for. If a gate lock is the weak point, our gate lock repair work covers that side of it. Sylmar also has several large mobile home parks, where the entry doors are a different style from standard house doors, and we check what fits before we recommend hardware.

Climate matters here too. Summers in this northern corner of the Valley run very hot, which can warp wood doors and loosen weatherstripping. A warped door can make a lock bind or a deadbolt miss its strike, and we'd rather correct that than put new hardware on a door that won't line up. Santa Ana winds funnel through Newhall Pass and the foothill canyons and drive dust into outdoor padlocks and gate locks, so on exposed locks we pay attention to how well the hardware handles dust and whether a rekey is worth it on a worn outdoor lock.

Why call Wilshire Lock & Key to change your locks

We've been in business since 1987, and we serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Our storefront is at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, and our mobile service vans do the work at your door. When you call (213) 577-1366, you reach us directly, at any hour, and the work is done by our own technicians, not by a call center passing your job to whichever subcontractor picks it up.

David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work. That matters when you're deciding between rekeying and replacing, because the recommendation comes from someone who has seen how these locks hold up over many years, not from someone trying to reach a quota. If something goes wrong at the door while you're sorting out the lock change, such as a lock that has jammed or keys that are already missing, we also handle house lockouts, and you can read more about how our mobile locksmith service works.

What to check before you let any locksmith change your locks

California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, issued through the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. It's reasonable to ask any locksmith company for that license number before work starts, and you can verify it with the state.

A few other things are worth watching for when you search online for a locksmith. Be wary of a company that answers the phone with a generic greeting instead of a business name. Be cautious if the person on the phone quotes something far lower than what the technician then says at your door. And be skeptical of anyone who wants to drill out a lock that could simply be rekeyed. A straightforward company will explain the work, give you the cost before starting, and be comfortable with your questions.

After the locks are changed: a short checklist

Changing the locks solves the key problem, but a few follow-up steps finish the job.

• Count your keys. Know how many exist and who has them. If you need more copies, key duplication takes care of that.
• Change any garage keypad code, gate code or shared passcode that previous residents knew.
• Check the other ways in. Sliding door latches, side gate latches and mailbox locks may still be on the old keys.
• Look at the strike plate and frame. A strong deadbolt in a weak frame doesn't do much, so ask the technician to point out anything loose.
• Keep one spare key somewhere you control, not under the mat.

More locksmith help in Sylmar

• Deadbolt Installation in Sylmar
• Gate Lock Repair in Sylmar
• High Security Locks in Sylmar
• Key Duplication in Sylmar
• Lock Installation in Sylmar
• Lock Rekey in Sylmar
• All services in Sylmar

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