What to Do When You’re Locked Out of Your Home

Most people would say that when you’re locked out of your home; just ask someone to bring the spare. What if you’ve never gotten around to having a spare key made? This can pose a real problem. The first thing you’re probably thinking is how much of an inconvenience this situation can be to you and possibly anyone who has to assist you.

Getting Back Inside

If you live in an apartment complex, the maintenance guy or someone in the management office will have a master key. They usually require that you provide them with a key in case they need to let a service person in your place when you are not home or in case of an emergency. Just be prepared to show them your identity in order for them to give you access into your apartment again. If you do not live in an apartment but live with someone else, you could just wait for them to return home. If it is going to be a long time before they are due home, you may have to drive to where they are to get the key. Again, it’s a bit of an inconvenience but it is a solution to your immediate problem. You might be surprised to find out that your roommate doesn’t mind coming home to let you in. They may just decide to take their lunch or dinner break in order to come and open the door for you.

Keyless Entry the Answer

If you are always locking yourself out of your home or losing your key, it might not be a bad idea for you to have a keyless lock installed. This way, you’ll never have to worry about arriving home only to discover that you can’t locate your key. A keyless lock is just that, it is a lock that doesn’t require a key to unlock. There is a keypad where you are able to program a code. You simply press the code and are able to gain immediate access. This is one of the most efficient ways of getting inside your home. This has become a popular option for many homeowners and therefore, you will have plenty of options to choose from.

Things NOT to Do When Locked Out

Some people might suggest you use a credit card to pick your door lock or climb through an unlocked window. This is the last thing we would ever advise you to do. This is not only dangerous but it gives thieves the idea that if you can get into your home by these means they can too. Don’t give a thief any ideas, although he likely already has them. Don’t call over your neighbor and spend a lot of time around your home trying to find a way in. This only gives thieves an idea of how they can gain access into your home. They may be taking not of how you do it and attempt to do in when you’re not around. Don’t leave a spare key on your property. Thieves are pretty clever when it comes to finding your hiding places. This is a chance that simply isn’t worth the risk.

Be Prepared

You can be prepared for a lockout by having a spare key made and given to someone you can rely on. You wouldn’t want to give a spare key to your neighbor who travels for business or a family member who is not dependable. It might be an even better idea to have at least two keys made in case the other person isn’t around to get the spare key from, the other person will be.

Have the name and number of an emergency locksmith readily available when you need it. If it is late at night and you can’t seem to find your keys and you don’t want to bother the people with your spare key, there are 24-hour locksmith services who offer services to attend to lockouts. They understand that things like this happen and this is one of the reasons why they are called out in the middle of the night to someone’s home. Home lockouts are a common occurrence and this is why emergency mobile services were developed.