Rekey or Replace? What to Do With the Locks on Your New Birmingham Home

When you move into a new home, you essentially have two options: rekey the existing locks or replace them entirely. Rekeying means a skilled locksmith adjusts the internal pins of your current lock cylinder so that the old keys no longer work — only your new keys do. This is a smart, efficient solution if your existing hardware is in good condition. Replacing means swapping out the entire lock mechanism, which makes sense when the hardware is worn, outdated, aesthetically mismatched, or simply not the security grade you want for your family.

For most Birmingham homeowners moving into an established property, rekeying is the fastest and most practical first step. But if the home has older mortise locks — the larger, rectangular lock mechanisms recessed into the edge of the door that were common in mid-century construction throughout neighborhoods like Avondale or Homewood — a full inspection is worth it. Mortise locks are robust and can often be rekeyed, but worn internal components sometimes call for a full mortise lock replacement. A trained locksmith can assess the hardware in minutes and give you an honest recommendation on the spot.

Think about everyone who had legitimate access to your new home before you signed the papers. The seller. Their real estate agent — and possibly multiple buyer's agents who held a lockbox key. Home inspectors. Appraisers. Contractors who did pre-sale repairs. In some cases, short-term rental guests if the property was ever listed on a rental platform. Any one of those parties could have had a key copied without anyone's knowledge, and there is simply no record of it.

This is not about assuming bad intentions from any of those people — it's about understanding that key control disappears the moment a property changes hands. A professional rekey or lock replacement immediately resets that chain. Every key that existed before your closing date becomes useless, and you start fresh as the sole person with working keys to your home. If you are also wondering what to do if locked out of house situations might arise with your new setup, the answer is simple: ask your locksmith to cut at least two to three copies of your new key before they leave.

Before calling a locksmith, it helps to know what types of locks are actually installed on your doors. The most common setup in Birmingham-area homes is a door knob lock combined with a deadbolt — the knob provides a basic latch while the deadbolt provides the real security. If your door knob lock is a builder-grade unit, upgrading to a quality Schlage or Kwikset deadbolt is often a worthwhile step your locksmith can handle at the same visit.

Older homes, particularly those built before the 1970s, frequently feature mortise locks — a single integrated unit that handles both the latch and the deadbolt function within one metal case set into the door itself. These locks are actually quite strong when properly maintained, but they require a locksmith experienced with mortise lock service to rekey or repair correctly. Standard big-box hardware store advice often doesn't apply to mortise locks. If your Birmingham home has them, make sure the locksmith you call specifically has mortise lock experience — our team at Top Birmingham Locksmith works with mortise locks regularly and can rekey, rebuild, or replace them as needed. Give us a call at (631) 380-4138 and we'll walk you through what's on your doors before we even pull up.

One of the most common calls any emergency locksmith receives is from a homeowner who is locked out of their house. When you're locked out of house situations tend to hit at the worst moments — arms full of groceries, late at night, rushing before work. The smart move when you rekey your locks is to build your backup plan at the same time: cut spare keys for a trusted family member nearby, consider a combination lockbox mounted somewhere discreet on the property, or ask your locksmith about high-security keypad deadbolts that eliminate the key altogether.

If you do find yourself in a lockout situation, here's what to do when locked out of house: first, check other entry points you may have forgotten — a back door, a garage entry, or a window you left unlatched. Check whether anyone else has a spare key. If no legitimate entry point is available, call a professional. Attempting to force a door or a window can damage the door frame, break glass, injure you, and in some cases attract unwanted attention from neighbors or law enforcement. A trained locksmith can open your door without damage in most cases and get you back inside quickly and safely. Top Birmingham Locksmith operates 24/7 across the greater Birmingham area — from Hoover to Trussville, Mountain Brook to Bessemer — so no matter when you're stuck outside, we're available.

Top Birmingham Locksmith is a full-service mobile locksmith team. Here is a clear picture of what we handle for residential, automotive, and commercial clients across the Birmingham area: residential lock rekeying, mortise lock service and replacement, door knob lock installation, deadbolt installation and upgrade, high-security lock installation, smart lock and keypad lock installation, master key system setup, lock repair for damaged or worn hardware, fresh key cutting and duplication, lockout service for homes, lockout service for cars and trucks, transponder key programming, car key replacement, ignition repair and replacement, garage door lock service, sliding door lock installation, window lock installation, mailbox lock replacement, safe opening and combination changes, lock installation for interior doors, commercial lock installation, commercial rekey service, access control system support, door closer and hardware installation, and move-in security assessments for new homeowners. Whether you've just closed on a property near Crestwood or you manage a small business on 20th Street North, our experienced team has the tools and training to handle the job right.

Pricing for our services is always determined by specific factors: the type of lock or vehicle involved, the complexity of the work, the time of day, travel distance to your location, and any parts or hardware needed. We confirm an exact up-front price before any work begins — no surprises when the job is done. Call (631) 380-4138 to get a clear quote from our team before we head your way.