Who to call for rekeying in Alafaya, FL
Alafaya grew up alongside the University of Central Florida, and most of its homes were built between the 1980s and the 2000s. If you just moved into one of them, you almost certainly hold only some of the keys. A previous owner, a contractor, a former tenant or a letting agent may still have a working key, and nobody can know how many copies are out there. One Call Locksmiths is a referral and scheduling service. We arrange the work with an independent locksmith, and that locksmith does the job. Look for someone who gives you the price before work starts, asks for identification, and lets you approve the estimate first.
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Single-family homes sit beside large condo and apartment communities, so keys pass through many hands. Florida's heat and humidity are also hard on hardware. They corrode cylinders, and swollen wood doors and frames can make deadbolts bind against the strike plate. A house that is 20 to 40 years old may have locks that are worn, mismatched or both.
While you wait — please don't
- Don't copy the old keys. Every copy of an old key is another working key to a home you want to secure.
- Don't wait until after you unpack. Until the locks are changed, anyone who held a key from before you can still use it.
- Don't force a stiff lock. Humidity can make hardware sticky, and forcing the key can snap it and turn a simple job into a bigger one.
- Don't agree to work before you hear the price. The locksmith should give you the price first, and you should approve it before anything starts.
What the technician does
- Identification is checkedThe locksmith asks for photo ID and proof that you are entitled to the property, such as closing paperwork, a lease or a utility bill. This is done before any work begins.
- You get the price firstThe estimate is free. The locksmith gives you the price, and work starts only after you approve it.
- Every exterior lock is changed to one keyEach exterior lock is rekeyed so one new key works them all. Where the hardware is worn or mismatched, the locksmith replaces it instead.
- The side door, gate and shed are includedThe garage side door and any gate or shed lock go on the same key, so you are not carrying a ring of different ones.
- The old keys stop workingAny key that was in circulation before you moved in becomes useless.
- Keys are cut for your householdYou get new keys for everyone who lives there, so you can check that each one works before the locksmith leaves.
Why this happens in Alafaya, FL
Alafaya's housing is young by most standards, but much of it is now reaching the age when hardware wears out. Garage door springs, openers and gate motors all tend to need attention at around the same time. Most homes are concrete block and stucco on slab, usually with an attached garage, so there is often a side door to the garage that people forget to include. If you live in a platted HOA subdivision, some of them gated, the gate and any shared amenity or mailbox locks may be controlled by management. Check with your association about those before you book.
Summer is the busy season. The summer moving season is when this work stacks up, and from June through November hurricane season and near-daily thunderstorms put extra strain on exterior locks, gates and openers. Central Florida also has some of the highest lightning density in the country, and surge damage to gate operators and smart locks is a routine call here. If you are moving into Waterford Lakes, Avalon Park, Stoneybrook East, Union Park or anywhere near the UCF area, it is worth booking the rekey rather than leaving it.
Questions people ask
- Should I rekey or replace the locks?
- Rekeying makes your locks work with a new key and makes the old ones useless. If the hardware is worn or mismatched, the locksmith may recommend replacing it. You will hear which applies, and the price, before you approve anything.
- Will the old keys still open anything afterward?
- No. The purpose of the job is to make every earlier key useless. Only the new keys you are given will work.
- Do I need to prove I own or rent the place?
- Yes. The locksmith will ask for photo ID and something that ties you to the address, such as a deed, lease or utility bill. This protects you as well, because it stops anyone else from having your locks changed.
- Can the work include my gated community's gate or shared locks in Alafaya?
- The job covers the locks you control, including the garage side door and any gate or shed on your property. Shared entry points, amenity locks and community gates are often run by your HOA or property manager, so ask them first.
- Does Florida license locksmiths, and how do I check mine?
- Florida has no statewide locksmith license. The trade is regulated at the county or city level, and the rules vary, so check current requirements with the county or city licensing or consumer protection office where the work is done. For general business registration and complaints, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is the usual contact.
One call
Call (866) 690-5848 and we will arrange an independent locksmith to rekey your new Alafaya home. The estimate is free, and the price is agreed with you before any work starts.
More from One Call Locksmiths
Something else in this area
- Locked out of the house
- Locked out of the car
- Keys lost or stolen
- Lost car key or fob
- Key broke in the lock
- Lock is stuck or broken
- New or upgraded locks
- Business locked out
One Call Locksmiths arranges the visit; the technician does the work and gives you the price.