Changing Locks on a New Home | Open House | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva explains why and how to change the locks in a new home.

Time: 30 minutes

Cost: $40 and up

Skill Level: Beginner

Steps:
1. When you move into a new home, you should change the locks on your house. You have no idea how many copies of the house keys are floating out there from the previous homeowners, so changing the locks will keep you new house more secure.
2. Take an inventory of all the doors with locks in the house.
3. Purchase new door knob lock sets at a home center. Look for knobs that are labeled “keyed alike” or have a matching code so that you can use the same key on all the doors. Most home centers can also rekey the lock sets when you buy them.
4. To change the locks, unscrew the door knob from the inside and pull the knobs apart.
5. Insert the new knobs into the door opening.
6. Screw the new knobs into the door.

Resources:

About Open House:
Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva along with plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey discuss how renovations can impact a household budget. From remodeling kitchens, HVAC, bathrooms, home exteriors, and more, here’s what you need to know to maximize the value of your home.

About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.

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Changing Locks on a New Home | Open House | Ask This Old House

[ThePhilandPam]

We renovate property and it never ceases to amaze me how many neighbours turn up a few days into a new project with spare keys they have for our definitely change your locks 😬👍

[SilverCymbal]

Excellent video to help people that overlook a common mistake. Better safe than sorry.

[Exayevie]

I’m about to by my first house and I never would’ve thought of this. Thanks TOH

[cardinalcar]

I love this guy’s voice. It’s so soothing

[dymondwillow]

And remember to change the garage door opener code!

[christophersboland]

I love your videos. You should do a video on an old house door install. These are never typical and predictable as newer home exterior door installs. We run into more doors that are attached to a cinderblock and not newer wood construction. It would be an awesome video if you decided to do a video to install a new exterior door on old construction. Love your videos. Thank you.

[Mr.Pop]

Careful, if ur locks are pretty old the new one u get might not fit in the original hole and you'll need to bore out a bigger hole.

[alexpighini]

THIS WAS THE MOST HELPFUL 2 MIN VIDEO!!! Thank you

[kf]

Thanks! You gave me the confidence to try this, when I had been putting it off! But I have one knob that has a rusted screw that I cannot unscrew, so I am a little stuck.

[pammychica]

Needed a quick confidence boost - perfect! 😊

[Engineer]

Good video. Good peace of mind on the 2nd place are security cameras. The moment someone opens my front door, a notification will appear on my phone, and the person will have a problem with the police.

[madtunerz]

Noted for when I buy a house sometime in the future

[darlenebowers]

You are so awesome!! Where can I take classes to be like you? I'm 61 yrs old and remolding my decease mom's house, so far, I stain hardwood floors did backsplash, painting with spray gun, now need coaching on backerboard, vanity install, and etc.

[TMJvideeos]

Nice info... but, what about garage door openers?  Can they be easily re-programmed?

[ChadBray]

It’s never this easy. A good chance the new striker plates don’t match up with the old striker holes. Make sure you have a chisel and drill bits handy.

[dymondwillow]

How to straighten a door than hangs wider at the bottom than the top? The striker - post that goes into the hole in the door jam - does not get engaged any more. It is an outside metal insulated door that sags on the opposite side from the hinges.

[ACEMiller.]

What if my new smart lock does not work on the bottom know? Would using a lever knob without a lock work just as fine?

[SKgoon]

Where do you buy the material for your merchandise (clothes) ? And what what is the item number if you have it? Thank you

[ahgfl]

Kwik Set and Master locks have a neat idea as well. Need to replace your padlock, make sure that you have a Kwik Set lock and get the re-keyable padlock from Master Lock that will use either the Master Lock or a Kwik Set key. Follow the simple instructions and your padlock will allow you to open it with the Kwik Set key. I did so even on my PU Truck and it opens using my side door key. No extra sets of keys are necessary.

[cbalan]

Change the locks, but also look out for people casing your home. When people are moving in and out it is a good time for burglars to strike.