Should you change the locks of your new home?
When you move into a new home, there’s lots to remember, but most importantly, you should change all the locks in the property.
17/02/2020
When you move into a new home, there’s lots to remember. You’ll need to change your address, test your smoke detectors, set up your home security system, unpack your essentials, and get your main utilities up and running. Most importantly, you should change all the locks in the property.
Why Change Your Locks?
You might be wondering whether changing your locks is really worth the time and effort of the task. The reality is, if you choose to stay with your current locks, you might be absolutely fine – but you put yourself at a far higher risk of intrusion.
There’s no way for you to know just how many spare copies of your keys are floating around. It’s common for homeowners to give out spare keys to close family and friends, and then forget all about doing so. While it’s most likely that anyone who still holds a key to your home is harmless, there’s no knowing for sure – and friendly or not, do you really want to risk someone intruding on your privacy?
You might also have moved into a home with faulty or damaged locks. While most modern locks are designed with durability in mind, some older models haven’t stood the test of time. If your keys aren’t turning well in your locks, it might be time for some replacements.
How to Change Your Locks
If you’ve decided you need to change your new home’s locks, first make an inventory of all the locks in your home that will need replacing. Don’t forget about window locks, especially those on the ground floor level.
For your front and back doors, look for locks that you’ll be able to use the same key in, if that works best for you. If you have a front drive or back garden gate with locks, it’s best to use a different lock and key as a precautionary measure.
You can change your locks yourself by unscrewing your doorknob from the inside and pulling it away from your door. In the opening, simply install the new doorknob and secure it in place. If you’d rather leave the job to an expert, you can hire a professional handyman or locksmith to do it for you.
Once you’ve changed your locks, you’ll need new keys that fit these locks. Sites like CLK Locksmithing supplies offer key blanks for residential homes, which you can buy in bulk and have fashioned into keys for your home.
New Locks Precautionary Measures
Once you have your new locks installed, your home should be a lot more secure by default. You can now take your own precautionary measures to keep the keys to your home safe.
Make sure you only give spare keys to the people you know you can trust, and note down how many spare keys you give out, and to whom. That way, if you ever move house again in the future, you can easily collect up your spare keys to hand over to the next homeowner.