Wouldn’t it be nice to not need so many keys?

It’s hard to not be tempted by the prospect of having only one key to open all of the locks you need to open in your life. Of course, having only one key means that whoever you give it to can access everything. It would be nice if you personally only had one key, but everyone else had multiple keys that couldn’t open every lock in the building or house.

That’s what a master key system is for. A master key system is when a professional locksmith can rekey your locks so one key can open all of them. Meanwhile, different secondary keys can still open each individual door. So how do these systems work?

How Master Key Systems Work

There are a few terms to learn to understand master key systems. First, you need to know the difference between the change key and the master key.

In essence, the change key is just a regular key. This key can only open one lock in the master key system. It’s pretty simple.

The master key, conversely, can open every lock in the master key system. The concept isn’t too hard to understand. So how does it do this?

Inside your lock are pins that must be lifted to the correct height by the key before unlocking. A master key system essentially just adds another row of pins. Now, two different pin heights will successfully unlock the lock. This means you can now open the lock with two separate keys.

Benefits Of Master Key Systems

You’ll want to buy a master key system for the added convenience without the security compromise you’d get if you just keyed alike all of the locks. This way, you can distribute keys to restrict access to some people while allowing full access to others.

Master key systems are useful for certain businesses where there’s going to be a hierarchy of access. They can also be helpful for a home where you want one key but don’t want to give full access to everyone with a key. This might include gardeners or even nosy teenagers.

Drawbacks Of Master Key Systems

The problem with master key systems is that you ultimately take a bit of a hit on your security. Master key systems are easier to pick, although picking is still a skill that takes a long time to develop. You also have the security risk of the master keys ending up in the wrong hands.

But you shouldn’t worry – if you’re very careful with your keys, there are not many drawbacks to getting a master key system installed.

Call A Locksmith To Install A Master Key System

The steps for rekeying all of your locks to work with a master key system involve specialized tools and expertise. In the end, it’s better left up to a locksmith who’s rekeyed locks before.

Our locksmiths can install a master key system in your home or business whenever we’re available. Call us for locksmith services anywhere in Washington, D.C.