When mortgage rates fall to record lows, as they have in recent weeks, homeowners who see a chance to save some money race to refinance. Just be sure you don’t get stuck at the end of the line.

Refinancing is a surefire way to give yourself extra cash — three digits’ worth for most people — every month. And as the coronavirus outbreak has tipped consumer sentiment from uncertainty to hoarder-level panic, lenders have been swamped by people looking to grab any savings they can, while they can. For the week ending March 6, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported a 55 percent increase in refinance applications from the previous week.

It is not clear how long lenders can maintain the pace. Do they have the staff they need?

“Truly, I don’t think anyone does,” said Victor F. Ciardelli, chief executive of the home lender Guaranteed Rate. “We are spending all of our time coaching our entire team on the most efficient way to take a loan from start to finish.”

If you haven’t refinanced in years, you’ll find that some things are different. There are digital systems that can check your assets and salary. Scanning and uploading can mean fewer lost documents, and some appraisals are virtual. Meanwhile, some lenders are locking in interest rates — meaning your rate will stay the same even if market rates change — for 90 days or longer in anticipation of delays in closing the loan.