Sun Mountain Blog

When to Replace the Door Locks

Door locks are a very important part of your home as they are the first line of defense against home invaders.  But how do you know when you should replace the locks?  Consider some of the following.  If the following scenarios have happened to you, a visit to the hardware center of your local home improvement store may be in order.

Age

How old are your locks?  What kind of wear and tear have they been through?  Older locks may be rusted or tarnished and can be easier to break.  Likewise, you may have difficulty opening them with your key.  If this keeps up, the lock may actually break before or while you are trying to open it, leaving you stuck outside.  If you find that opening it isn’t as easy as it used to be, especially when it is cold outside, it’s time for a new lock.

Missing Keys

It doesn’t matter if you simply lost your keys or your keys have been stolen – you need new locks right away.  Someone somewhere might be walking around with the keys to your home, making it extremely easy for them to stroll inside and stroll out with your possessions.  If more than one key has gone missing, replace the locks in order of priority – outside locks should always be replaced before inside ones.

A Break-in

If you have had someone break in already and it was through a location with a lock, you should get new, sturdier or more professional locks.  Broken locks only mean it is easier for the next intruder to get into your home.  Even if the lock does not look outwardly damaged, but it is known the intruder came into the home that way, there may be an internal mechanical failure in the lock.  Likewise, if you had keys in your home and they are now missing, it may be that the intruder has your keys and can use them on your locks.

Guests

Old roommates moving out, new roommates moving in?  Any time tenants change, you should get new locks.  You don’t need an endless line of keys that can open doors in your home going to and from the location.  By switching locks, you also help to absolve past roommates of any wrongdoing should a break-in occur.  It doesn’t matter that they turned in their keys to you – you never know who may have felt the need to create a backup key.