Rekey or Replace Your Locks After Moving In?

Rekeying means a skilled locksmith disassembles your existing lock cylinder and replaces the internal pins so that only a brand-new key will operate it. The hardware itself — the lock body, the strike plate, the knob or lever — stays exactly where it is. This is a precise, professional process, not a DIY shortcut, and when done correctly it provides the same security guarantee as installing a completely new lock of the same model.

Full lock replacement means the entire lock assembly comes out and a new unit goes in. This is the right call when the lock itself is damaged, worn, outdated, or simply not the right type of lock for the door. In Floral Park's older housing stock — many homes date back to the 1920s and 1930s — you'll often find aging hardware that was never designed for modern security standards. In those cases, a straight rekey would preserve a weak lock, so replacement is the smarter investment.

Here's a scenario our team sees regularly in Floral Park: a new homeowner moves into a pre-war home with the original cylindrical lock set still on the front door. Rekeying it is possible, but the lock body itself is decades old, the bolt throw is shallow, and the strike plate is held in with short screws. In this situation, upgrading to a mortise lock is the move that actually improves security. A mortise lock is set directly into a deep pocket cut into the door's edge, making it dramatically more resistant to kick-in and pry attacks than a surface-mounted cylindrical unit. Brands like Schlage and Kwikset both offer quality mortise lock options that fit Floral Park's period-style doors without looking out of place.

If your home already has a functioning, high-quality mortise lock installed — common in some of the larger colonials and Tudors in the area — then rekeying is almost always the right first step. The hardware is solid, the bolt throw is deep, and all you really need to do is eliminate the unknown key copies floating around from the sale. Our experienced technicians carry the tools and replacement pins to rekey virtually any mortise lock cylinder on-site, usually within the same visit.

Use this as a practical decision framework. Choose rekeying if: your locks are less than five to seven years old and show no visible wear; the lock type (especially a quality mortise lock) is appropriate for the door and your security needs; you simply want to eliminate old keys without changing hardware; or you're a landlord turning over a rental unit between tenants. Choose full replacement if: the lock is visibly damaged, stiff, or difficult to operate; you're upgrading from a basic door knob lock to a deadbolt or mortise lock for the first time; the lock model is so old that replacement pins are difficult to source; or you want to standardize all your doors to one key system, which is called a master key setup.

There's also a hybrid scenario worth knowing: you replace the locks on your exterior doors but rekey interior doors or secondary entrances to match. This gives you fresh, high-security hardware on the points of entry that matter most while keeping costs reasonable on lower-risk doors. If you're unsure which category your locks fall into, a quick call to our team is all it takes — we can talk through your specific hardware and recommend the most practical path before we ever pull up to your driveway. Call (516) 390-1349 anytime, day or night, to talk through your options.

Pricing for rekeying or lock replacement depends on several real factors, and any trustworthy locksmith should be able to explain all of them clearly before starting work. The type of lock matters significantly: rekeying a standard door knob lock is a different scope of work than installing a heavy-duty mortise lock with a custom cylinder. The number of doors on your property affects the total. The time of day plays a role — emergency locksmith calls in the middle of the night or on holidays involve different logistics than a scheduled afternoon appointment. Travel distance to your location within the Floral Park area is also factored in, and so are any specialty parts or cylinders that need to be sourced for less common hardware.

At Floral Park Locksmith, we confirm an exact, up-front price before any work begins — no surprises on the final invoice. We're also insured, so you have real protection whether we're working on a residential front door or a commercial locksmith job on a multi-unit property. Speaking of which: if you own or manage a small business in Floral Park's bustling Village district or along Jericho Turnpike, our commercial locksmith services cover everything from master key systems to high-security lock installations designed for storefront and office environments.

Floral Park, NY consistently ranks as one of Nassau County's safer communities — residents routinely cite it as a reason they chose the area. That said, low crime rates don't mean zero risk, and the crimes that do occur in quieter suburban communities are disproportionately opportunistic: unlocked doors, easily defeated hardware, or spare keys left in obvious locations. That context shapes our recommendation: for most Floral Park homeowners, a fresh rekey of solid, existing hardware combined with upgraded strike plates and longer screws is a meaningful security improvement that addresses the most common vulnerabilities without over-engineering the solution.

Where we do encourage homeowners to consider full replacement — particularly a mortise lock upgrade — is on any door that currently relies solely on a door knob lock with no separate deadbolt. A door knob lock alone can be compromised quickly; it was never designed to be a primary security mechanism. Pairing or replacing it with a properly installed mortise lock or a quality deadbolt transforms that door into a genuinely resistant barrier. Our residential locksmith team can assess every exterior entry point on your home and give you a clear, honest picture of where you're well-protected and where a targeted upgrade makes sense.