04/25/08 05:08 AM
New House, New Key(s)
I just closed on a new home last week. One of the first things I had to do was change out all the locks. Mainly because I didn’t have keys to any of the deadbolts nor the utility room on the back of the house, which stores the furnace, hot water heater, all that good stuff.
So I went to my local hardware store. At first I was very tempted to get something like this Kwikset SmartScan but I decided at $100 a pop I could hold off. After looking through the selection one thing became very apparent to me. Because I was going to need 3 complete sets (knobs / deadbolts), I wanted them to share the same keys. To do this you need to match up the codes on the packages that way you can get the same sets. Upon picking out a design, style, and type I quickly looked through all the sets only to realize that every package on the shelf had the exact same key code. This meant that the key in any package would work in any of the other locks.
So what are the chances that someone else would come in right behind me, purchase the same set, and now they’d have a key that would work in my house as well. Now I know with such a densely populated area here in DC that the actual chances of someone stumbling upon my house and knowing they have a key that fits is completely low. But someone could just as easily prey on someone who was in the exact same scenario as myself (notice their selection, follow them home, and later wreak some havoc) – maybe a far stretch, but hey, IT COULD HAPPEN.
My solution was somewhat simple, the lock sets I decided to buy feature a smart key system, where I could change the actual key pattern at anytime. So I simply went over to the key cutter, had 3 keys made up of the same style but at a completely random pattern. That way the chances of my new key pattern matching anything that is provided from the factory is very slim.
Lets just hope my new locks can withstand some degree of key bumping