Expert Tips on Handling Home Lockout Situations

You return home from work or a day out running errands only to find that you’re locked out of your house. Don’t worry. There are several things you can do to regain access to your home during a house lockout.

Contact Someone You Know

There are a couple of different reasons why you should reach out to someone that you know and trust during a home lockout.

You may have entrusted that person with a spare key to your home.

If you’re dealing with a home lockout situation, they may be able to quickly run the key over to you so you can get inside.

It’s also a good idea to have someone on standby in case you need somewhere to go when your home lockout becomes a lengthy situation.

If you can’t come up with a way to get inside and there won’t be a professional coming by in the next couple of hours, you’ll need somewhere safe to stay.

If it’s cold outside, you shouldn’t be sitting on your porch or in your car for hours.

Call Your Landlord

If you’re renting your home from someone else, they should already have a master copy of your key. They can bring it over to let you in if you notify them of your home lockout situation.

Look for Alternate Entry Points

Go around your home and look for any other areas that you may be able to get into. This could be your garage that has an interior door that you know isn’t locked. You should also look for an unlocked window on the first floor.

There may even be a back or side door that you didn’t remember to lock before you left.

Pick the Lock

Your ability to pick the lock of your home will depend on what kind of door and lock you have. A lot of modern doors don’t allow you to get in this way, but older doors may be a possibility.

Get out a sturdy plastic card like a credit card. Keep in mind, this may damage the card so choose something you can live without while it gets replaced.

Do you have a spring latch doorknob? slide your card in between the door frame and the door.

While doing so, keep a hand on the doorknob. If you feel around within the door frame, you may notice that there is a bit of resistance where the latch is.

Tilt the card towards the direction of the knob, and try to bend the card a bit to get underneath the latch.

If you are successful, you should be able to turn the knob when you have the card in the right place.

If the deadbolt is latched as well, this method will not work.

Enlist the Help of Neighbors

Go knock on some doors to see if one of your neighbors is home. Maybe someone has a tool that you can use to get inside your home.

You may even have a neighbor that is a locksmith or has some way of helping you through a house lockout situation.

If you don’t have a cell phone with you, the least they can do is provide you with a phone to call for assistance.

Remove the Doorknob

If you have access to tools of your own or from a neighbor, check your exterior doors to see if any of the knobs can be removed. Some doorknobs don’t have visible screws on their exterior because of safety reasons. If you can gain access this way, so could an intruder.

Call a Locksmith for Help

Getting in touch with a reputable locksmith that offers emergency services for home lockout situations can help you gain access to your home in no time.

They have all of the tools needed to gain access, and they can even replace your locks entirely if you’ve lost your keys and no longer have the ability to gain entry into your house.

Preventing a House Lockout Situation

Prevent a house lockout situation from occurring again in the future, there are some steps that you should be taking to avoid a home lockout. Even with the fastest locksmith services in town, you will want to avoid this inconvenience again in the future.

Distribute Spare Keys

Make sure that you have at least a couple of spare keys distributed to a friend, family member, or neighbor. If you were to get locked out of your home, they could hand over the key.

It’s also a good idea that someone can check in on your home if necessary while you’re away.

Hide a Key

There are a few different locations on your property that you can use as a hiding place for a spare key. Under your doormat, under a rock, or behind an exterior light are just some options.

Make sure the key is well concealed, and hide it late at night when nobody will see you doing so.

Use a Keyless Entry System

On at least one of your exterior doors, you can consider having a keyless entry system installed. The system will require you to enter a PIN to unlock the door.

It’s much more convenient than a key, and you’ll have an easier time getting inside if you’ve misplaced your key.