Garage door lock rekeying is highly effective when it comes to making your garage door lock more secure. Your garage door is essential in your home, and thus, it should be very secure. Burglars often target garage doors as a means of gaining access to homes or stealing items that are stored inside garages. Locks are added to the doors to ensure that garage doors are more secure.

There are different types of garage door locks. Most locks have different lock mechanisms, which makes them slightly different from others. Garage door locks can either be changed or replaced, depending on your personal preference or choice. We shall focus on garage door rekeying since it is cheaper and better than changing the entire lock. We shall also describe how a locksmith can carry out garage door lock rekeying.

What are the Types of Garage Door Locks?

 As earlier stated, there are several types of garage door locks. A professional locksmith can carry out lock rekeying on a variety of garage doors. To better understand the concept of garage door rekeying, let us look at some of the types of garage door locks available.

1. Digital Keypad Garage Door Locks

Digital keypad garage door locks are more advanced types of garage door locks. To carry out garage door locks rekeying on this type of garage door locks, reprogramming a garage door lock may be viable. Digital keypad garage door locks are controlled by imputing a set of codes. You can change the codes of the lock anytime you want. However, it is essential that you change the codes of your digital keypad garage door locks regularly. Digital keyless garage door locks offer very high-level security for your garage doors.

2. Fingerprint Garage Door Locks

Fingerprint garage door locks also provide a high level of security for your garage door. It may be impossible to steal or mimic the codes since fingerprints are unique for each individual. You can program the fingerprint lock so that multiple users can control it. One advantage of having a fingerprint garage door lock is that reprogramming a garage door lock will not be necessary. A fingerprint garage door lock system may be expensive to install compared to other traditional locks.

3. T-handle Garage Door Locks

T-handle garage door locks are commonly found on metal garage doors. You cannot make use of conventional keys to unlock the door. Instead, you make use of a cylinder-shaped key which may be difficult to replicate. For wooden garage doors, a garage door mortice may be more suitable. Garage door mortice is used for thicker door designs where the use of bolts may be impractical.  A deadbolt locking mechanism can increase protection by fixing the locks on both sides of your garage door.

4. Regular Locks

Side door bolts are a popular choice for garage door owners and are used for different garage door designs. Side door bolts installed inside a garage door provide extra security by making it difficult for intruders to open your garage door from outside.  A deadbolt locking mechanism can increase protection by fixing the locks on both sides of your garage door. An intruder will take a considerable amount of time to remove garage door locks with deadbolt designs.

5. Garage Door Defenders

Garage door defenders are suitable for providing high-level security for garage doors. The lock mechanism for this type of garage door lock is advanced and challenging to break in. when carrying out lock change or lock rekeying on garage door defenders, reprogramming of the lock may need to be carried out. The lock is designed with a large arm that is positioned in front of the door. It is also fixed to a concrete base using a padlock. The lock defender also helps to restrict the movement of your garage door.

How Does a Garage Door Lock Works?

Before we look at garage door lock rekeying, it is critical first to understand the working principle of garage door locks. Most door levers, deadbolts, and doorknobs with keyed locks have several pins (key pins and driver pins) positioned inside a plug. When you push a key into the plug, it forces the pins to move up and down inside the lock at different heights.

The driver pins attached to the springs are of similar length, and a locksmith will not have to change them when carrying out lock rekeying. When rekeying the garage door lock, the key pins which are of varying lengths are replaced.

These two sets of pins prevent the rotation of the plug when you lock your garage door. However, when you push a key into the plug, it maintains contact with the key pins and the driver pins, thus aligning both sets of keys at their shear line. The contact of these two keys allows the plug’s rotation, making your garage door lock open.

What Does Garage Door Lock Rekeying Mean?

Garage door lock rekeying involves changing the springs and pins in the cylinder of a garage door that already exists. The pins and springs in your garage door locks may become worn out over time, which can affect your locks’ functionality. When this happens, opening the lock may become difficult, and in some instances, any key can open this lock. What then does it mean to carry out lock rekeying? Lock rekeying involves removing garage door locks and changing the lock mechanism.

It also involves replacing the old garage door pins with new ones. After replacing or reconfiguring the pins’ positioning, the garage door lock is repositioned in the garage door. The process of garage door lock rekeying is different from carrying out lock change. On the other hand, garage door lock change involves replacing the entire lock mechanism and the keys.

But with garage door lock rekeying, you can use your existing garage door locks and only reconfigure them so that an existing key can open it. Garage door lock rekeying is a cheaper alternative in comparison with garage door lock change. It also offers an increased security level for you because you can increase the number of pins in the lock.

Is It Legal to Carry Out Garage Door Lock Rekeying?

You can rekey your garage door provided you are the property owner or you have obtained permission from your property manager to do so. Although there is no low that prevents garage door lock rekeying from being carried out, you should endeavor to follow the right channel. You may have to check your lease agreement to ensure you won’t be breaching your tenancy contract if you go ahead to rekey your garage door lock.

Suppose you have doubts about whether you can rekey your garage door lock or you feel the tenancy agreement isn’t explicit in that regard. In that case, you may meet the landlord or property manager for clarification or consult a legal practitioner.

What are the Benefits of Garage Door Rekeying?

Which is better between replacing a lock on a garage door or garage door lock rekeying? The ensuing debate about garage door locks change or lock rekeying can be best understood by outlining each process’s benefits. Below are the benefits of carrying out garage door rekeying.

1. Garage door rekeying is fast

The garage door rekeying process is fast and straightforward. It takes a short period for a professional locksmith to rekey a lock. Garage door lock rekeying can be carried out immediately a locksmith arrives at your home, unlike garage door lock change that may require some time to find the right hardware. Finding the right hardware depends on the availability of the deadbolts and handles. Leaving your garage door open while finding the right hardware is a security risk.

2. Garage door lock rekeying is more affordable

Lock rekeying is a cheaper alternative to replacing a lock on a garage door. It is more expensive to replace your garage door lock hardware and handles than lock rekeying. Advanced security locks and handles are costly, and rekeying them can help you save money. The hardware of keyless or digital garage door locks is also far more expensive to be replaced. Reprograming a garage door lock instead of outright lock change may be a more economical option.

3. You can retain your old hardware

It allows you to retain your old hardware, especially if you like the lock’s design, style, or features. Getting the exact style or brand of your lock hardware in the market may be difficult, hence the need to rekey the lock. 

4. You do not need to modify your garage door

When replacing a lock on a garage door. It may be necessary for you to modify your garage door.  You may also need to resize the installation hole to be compatible with the new lock hardware you are replacing. Modifying your garage door can also attract more charges from garage door experts and a professional locksmith.  By rekeying your lock, you can avoid these additional charges and stress involved in modifying your garage door.