Why keys pile up in Pittsburgh

Rekeying changes the pins inside a lock cylinder so the old keys stop working and a new key takes over; the lock and the door stay in place. Census Bureau estimates for 2024 show about 52 percent of Pittsburgh's occupied homes are rented, and every change of tenant can leave copies with a former renter, a roommate who moved out or a contractor.

Buyers face the same unknown, since a seller may not know how many copies exist. Ask for every exterior door to be rekeyed and keyed alike, so one key opens all of them. A worn or cracked cylinder, or one that can't be rekeyed, calls for lock replacement instead.

Landlords and Chapter 781 inspections

Pittsburgh Code Chapter 781 sets up the Residential Housing Rental Permit Program, and the city's inspections department (PLI) checks rental units against the International Property Maintenance Code through § 781.04. Its December 2024 draft checklist asks whether exterior doors are maintained (IPMC 304.15) and whether means-of-egress doors and emergency escape openings open from the inside without special knowledge or tools (IPMC 702.3 and 702.4).

Rekeying keeps the hardware already on the door, so an inside thumbturn stays that way. If a lock is swapped instead, weigh that checklist item before choosing a deadbolt that needs a key on the inside. Tenants should read the lease and ask the landlord before rekeying; the statewide rules are in landlord and tenant lock changes. This is general information, not legal advice.

Original hardware in Deutschtown and Schenley Farms

Deutschtown and Schenley Farms are both locally designated historic districts, so changes to a street-facing door go through a Certificate of Appropriateness. Rekeying works inside the existing cylinder, so an original lockset can stay on an original front door while the keys change.

What to include in a rekeying request

how many exterior doors and locks there are, and the brand on the key or lock face
whether you want them keyed alike
whether you own the property, manage it, or have the landlord's written permission
any lock that sticks or turns hard, since it may need repair first

For the service itself, see lock rekeying; for the city, the Pittsburgh page.

At the door

What lock rekeying covers

Changing the pins inside your existing locks so old keys stop working, without replacing the hardware.

An inspection of each lock to confirm it can be rekeyed
Re-pinning each cylinder to work with a new key
New keys cut for the rekeyed locks

ID and proof you may access the property are checked before any work.

Lock Rekeying in Pennsylvania

Sources

Public records and references this page draws on. They are outside USA Locksmith Pros and open in a new tab.

Lock Rekeying in Pittsburgh, PA