Your door locks are often the first, last, and only line of defense that your home has against potential intruders. However, there are a number of reasons why your door locks may not be as secure as you think they are. Understanding the various situations and reasons why your locks may no longer offer you the security you need can help you identify when you need to contact a professional locksmith or emergency lockout services.

General Wear

The most common reason why you should consider replacing your locks is if they start showing signs of wear and age. Any signs of rust, loose or rattling parts, or any other forms of damage, even if they may seem superficial, warrant replacing the lock. This is because superficial wear points to age, which means that the internal components of your lock are likely much weaker and easier to force open. If left unchecked, such wear can start affecting the functioning of your lock, making it much harder to turn your key or close the door.

Lost Keys

Another extremely common, and fairly common sense, reason to replace your locks is if you misplace your keys at any point. If this is a common problem that you have, you may want to consider installing a new type of lock, such as a fingerprint scanner or a keypad, to make it easier for you to access your home and so that you don't have to worry about misplacing your keys and potential break-ins in the future.

New Roommates

If you are renting out part of your home, or if you live with roommates, it's a good idea to replace the locks every time a someone move out. Having a new set of keys to hand to a new roommate can give you both peace of mind when it comes to potential break-ins, as you can be sure that no copies of your new keys are floating around out there. This is especially relevant if your past roommates moved out on a bad note, or if they would have any reason to come back to the apartment while you are not around. 

Burglary

Finally, the best reason to change your locks is if there is a break-in or burglary in your neighborhood. Even if you were not the victim, installing a newer, thicker and more secure lock, especially if you have multiple locking mechanisms installed on each door, can help prevent your home from becoming a target in the future.