Locked out of your home and not sure what to do? Here are the 4 steps we recommend.
In this article, we are going to cover the 4 steps that can be taken when experiencing a home lockout situation. We highly recommend against breaking windows as repair bills can be costly and there are many more practical solutions to be considered. Many other solutions could be more cost-effective than a repair service.
1. Check all other entrances
The first and foremost step that one should consider when experiencing a lockout situation is to check all doors. While this article is about homes, it’s a good tip for automotive lockouts as well. If leaving out the front door and having it close behind you, resulting in a lockout situation, a good first step is to check all entry doors. Many times homeowners and renters who become locked out may find that other doors are unlocked and can be used for entry. Good doors to try include front doors, side doors, back doors, garage doors, and other doors. Windows on the ground floor could also be checked. If there are upstairs windows that are unlocked, it may be a good idea to try those if a ladder can safely be obtained. Additionally, many homeowners who become locked out can try other entryways also, like perhaps a doggie-door that can be squeezed through. If there’s an open dog door but the opening is too small to crawl through, consider if anyone that you know from the neighborhood nearby is small enough to assist.
Some doors are easier to get into than others, and that’s why it’s always important to do a walk-around when first becoming locked out. Often individuals will find that they can get back inside their home by going back in through a different route.
2. If possible, find a spare key
If you’re locked out and unable to get back inside your home, it might be a good idea to seek out a spare key that could get you back inside. If you’re a renter, it might be possible to visit a leasing office or call a property maintenance person. If you’ve hidden a key previously around your property in the expectation of becoming locked out, it might be the perfect time for that spare key to shine. If a key wasn’t previously hidden around the property for this very reason, other people might have a spare key. If no leasing office or property management company is affiliated with your property and no one can assist in that regard, possibly consider family and friends. Are there any family, friends, or significant others who have a working copy of the key? Perhaps they could assist, or they could make an extra copy and come to your rescue by letting you back inside. If a spare key can’t be located, we still recommend against breaking a window or kicking in a door as repair bills can be expensive. When a door is kicked in, the framing will splinter and crack, which could be a hefty fine from the homeowner or a large repair bill in-and-of-itself. Instead of breaking a window or kicking down a door, try to find a spare key, and if that can’t be accomplished, then maybe step 3 may be more helpful.
3. Try to get in yourself
With certain doors that aren’t framed tightly, it may be possible to jimmy open the lock yourself. This occasionally works with a few handles and knobs, however, too much pressure or force could cause damage to the lock. Many people will try the credit card trick, but this rarely works except on a select few doors that aren’t properly secured. Additionally, many people also find that after trying to open a doorknob lock using their credit card, they will still be locked out, and their credit card will be ruined. Credit cards are not meant to be used to open doors, and rubbing the card's magnetic strip on the metal latch could cause it to not swipe properly, alternatively, carded chips might become damaged in the process as well. Locksmiths have more luck jimmying open doorknob locks because they use specialized equipment that is meant for opening doors. That being said, it is sometimes possible for individuals to regain entry themselves when locked out. Another thing that homeowners who are locked out can be on the look for is improperly installed doorknobs. It’s uncommon, but some entry doors on homes will have doorknobs that are installed backwards, meaning that the screws are facing the outside instead of the inside. If this is the case, it might be possible to unscrew the doorknob and unlock the door by interacting with the latch. Taking off a doorknob should be simple with the correct tools, if it’s not, perhaps the situation is more complex and a professional needs to be called in to help you back into your home.
4. Call a locksmith
If all other options have been exhausted, it might be time to call for a professional. A locksmith is a skilled tradesman, or woman, who is highly skilled in regards to dealing with lock and key situations. If you’re locked out of your home and need to get back inside, and there are no other alternatives, a locksmith company is who should be called on. Locksmith companies are highly proficient and skilled at opening locked homes for those who are locked out, and it’s actually a lot of what locksmiths do. Mobile locksmiths are technicians who travel around their local area and assist those who need it at the customer's location, and this includes lockout services as well as lock replacements, installations, rekeys, and more.
It’s not uncommon for individuals to find themselves locked out of their home with their personal belongings like car keys and personal phones inside and out of reach. If this is the case, it might be an option to visit a neighbors home so they can call a locksmith service for you. As an alternative, many libraries offer access to computers with web access that can be used for researching local locksmith companies. One of the most important things to remember when it comes to being locked out, is that as long as pets have food and water, and your schedule is open, there’s no immediate rush to get back inside. This is a huge relief for some to hear and consider because being locked out can be very stressful, and calling a local locksmith to help is a great option for many.
A locksmith service is in a prime position to help those who are locked out because locksmiths spend quite a lot of time unlocking homes, businesses, vehicles, and more for customers who are locked out due to missing keys, or because keys are locked inside. Locksmiths can help with opening properties like commercial spaces, residential homes, and automobiles, all without damage. If you’re locked out of your home because of keys being locked inside or because they’re missing, who better to call than someone that specializes in locks and keys? Locksmiths usually provide emergency services too, which means that most people will be able to get assistance no matter the time of night or day. It’s not uncommon for individuals to become accidentally locked out late at night or early in the morning and need a locksmith service to have someone at their location to let them back inside.
Locksmith companies are ideal for those who need a fast and practical solution for their lockout situation. A good locksmith will only charge between $75-$130 for a house lockout service, depending on the type of locks and the tools required to open them. There are of course also circumstances and situations where it can be done for less. Some homeowners can get assistance through their insurance or AAA membership, however, people will opt for a locksmith service instead of waiting the sometimes 4+ hours it may take for help. If you require a locksmith to let you back into your home, ask about what kinds of discounts they can offer. Here at Locksmith Services Longmont, a mobile locksmith company in Northern Colorado, we offer a senior citizens discount, as well as a discount for those suffering from economic hardships due to COVID-19.
It’s important to note that if a toddler or dog is locked inside a hot vehicle in emergency heat conditions, the local fire or police department may be able to help, however, it will depend on your location, the temperature, and your local departments operating procedures. Most local locksmiths have a 20-minute or less emergency response time.
How to avoid getting locked out in the future
Once you’re back inside or waiting on a locksmith to arrive, it might be time to find out some of the different ways to avoid becoming locked out in the future. Here are a few additional steps that can be taken to future-proof becoming locked out again.
1. Leave a spare key with a trusted friend or family member.
As we mentioned before, one of the easiest things to do is to leave a spare key copy with a trusted family member or friend. That way, if you ever become locked out again in the future, you can visit their location to retrieve the spare key. It’s always a good idea to future proof a lockout situation, so if you choose to leave a spare key with a friend, it may be a good idea to assume any personal phone might be locked inside and out of reach.
One option for future proofing might be to leave an emergency contact box somewhere completely safe where no one will ever find it with relevant social contacts and business cards. That way if you’re locked out without your phone, you can still have access to your personal information and important numbers of who to call. This is the best option for those who are extremely concerned about their homes security.
2. Hide a spare key somewhere on the property so it can be used if you’re ever locked out again.
Another option, if you’re less concerned about a key being outside, might be to instead leave a spare key hidden outside in case of emergencies. Instead of leaving an emergency contact box hidden, you could keep a hidden lockbox containing a spare key, or even just a hidden box with your key. It is important to note though that anyone that finds this will now have a working house key, and most people won’t check their key’s hiding place daily to ensure their key is still there. Some home intruders and burglars will enter through the front door after finding a hidden key somewhere on the property. This is why we typically recommend hiding an emergency contact box that only contains phone numbers, in case it’s found by a criminal, there’s not much that can be done with it or much reason for them to spend their energy on phone numbers alone. If you are going to hide a spare key somewhere on your property to avoid becoming locked out again, we recommend making sure it’s hidden in a very good spot.
3. Consider using a keypad lock
The last method we recommend when it comes to avoiding future lockout situations is to consider the installation of a keypad lock. Keypad locks are types of electronic locks that don’t require keys to function, they work by using a keypad with buttons or a touch screen for operation. There are many different keypad locks on the market today that can be useful for avoiding a future lockout situation, but we recommend Schlage keypad locks or Kwikset keypad locks to most of our customers because of the wide availability at most major hardware stores.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on how you avoid getting locked out, especially if there’s anything we missed. Let us know in the comments below!
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About Us: Locksmith Services Longmont provides 24-hour mobile locksmith services in Northern Colorado. All of our mobile locksmiths have years of experience, the correct tools, advanced training, and they’re all insured, drug tested, and background checked for the safety and security of our customers. We are a local Longmont locksmith company and we assist our customers with many different solutions to their problems, like lockout services, lock installation services, lock replacement services, lock repair services, lock changing services, key changing services, rekeying services, and much more. See all the locations we provide locksmith services to in Northern Colorado on our website at Locksmith Services Longmont. We provide overnight home lockout services, as well as regular 24-hour lockout services for those who are locked out of their house and unable to get back inside. Our mobile locksmiths provide coverage to areas like Denver, Longmont, Greeley, Loveland, Boulder, Thornton, Johnstown, Firestone, Broomfield, Estes Park, Lafayette, Erie, and more.
