Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you can’t get into your house because you lost your keys or broke them? If yes, then you would understand the frustration. But the question is, what would you do if you ever faced such a situation and got locked out of your house? Will you try to fix the situation yourself or call for help? Some people worry alot and get stressed when they get stuck in a lockout situation. If you are one of those people, you do not have to worry now. Here are some amazing tips telling you what you should do in case of a house lockout. Let’s have a look.
1. Check for an Open Window or Backdoor
Although, it is not safe to leave a window or the back door open while you are not at your house, as it can provide a free passage to the thieves, which can lead to other consequences. However, if you find an opened window or the back door when you are locked out of your house, it will work in your favor. You can jump straight through the window or enter from the back door. How reassuring it is to find the back door unlocked. But, you may not be lucky enough every day. If anything, you can also open a window that is unlocked from inside. If you have a knife or a tool sharp enough to pass through the window frame, you can slide the window up to make room for climbing inside the house.
2. Call Someone for Help
If you live with your family, then call them so they can come and take you inside with a pair of spare keys. It may be a bit inconvenient to wait for someone to come to you, but it’s an easy way to get yourself out of a lockout situation. If you live in a rented apartment, call the owner as they always have the spare keys. With the help of this key, you can easily unlock your door. However, if you have purchased an apartment, please stop by the management office to request access to the unit. You will have to show them your identity with proof that you live in the apartment. However, you need to be careful as the management might charge a lockout fee if they are asked to help.
3. Remove the Locked Doorknob
It may not be easy, but removing the doorknob is another way to get into a house when locked out. You must have a screwdriver placed somewhere near your front door or in your car to remove the doorknob in case of emergencies. A Philips screwdriver that makes a pyramid-like shape when its four ribs are joined upfront works perfectly well in such scenarios. However, you must know that you cannot remove the tamper-proof door handle this way. Be careful with this method to not damage the door.
4. Use Your Credit Card
Credit cards, ID cards, or other cards are great tools for opening locked doors. It’s important to make sure that the card you are using is made of thick plastic. If you have a paperboard business card, it won’t work because the idea is to insert something that can bend the door lock. Move the card up and down while firmly grasping the handle. Alternatively, you can open the door by simply pressing the lock with force.
5. Use a Fishing Rod
Key fishing works only if the spare key is not too far from the door. If you have a fishing rod available in the backyard of your house, you can get the spare key through the mailbox. Most doors have a mailbox entry at the bottom of the door from where you can slide the fishing rope inside. After the rope is in, you will have to keep on sliding it ahead until you get the spare key. Once the spare key is caught in the hook, pull the rope back. It’s an easy process, but it is also very risky. If you get the key with a fishing rod, it can be done by another person too. Hence, in that case, a mailbox restrictor is what you need.
6. Call a Locksmith
If you’re short on time or confused and don’t know what to do, this is the best option you can count on. Locksmiths open the locked doors in minutes, and the best part here is that they unlock the door without causing any damage. However, be prepared to pay a fee, depending on your location and when you are requesting the service. The locksmith may charge you a little more early in the morning or at midnight. However, if you don’t know of any locksmith in your area, recommendations from trusted people work best. If your friends can’t provide recommendations, try searching online for certified locksmiths. Certified locksmiths have the best reviews from previous clients, so make sure to check the reviews.
7. Break through the Door
Breaking through the door should be kept as the last option as it may look odd to someone walking by or someone who doesn’t know you. However, if you don’t know any other technique to get inside and a locksmith isn’t available, this may be the only solution left. But how you will break through your door entirely depends upon the lock you have on your door. Once you get back inside the house, make sure to plan how to deal with future lockouts so that the plan does not include damaging the door or the lock.
A house lockout can lead to a very stressful situation, so you must be prepared to deal with it at all times. There are many ways to deal with a lockout situation. You can use any of the methods shared above to deal with it, but the best way is to call a professional locksmith for help.
