Being locked out of your house, car, or office is definitely very annoying, and it frequently happens at the most inconvenient times. Here are some best tips for preventing lockouts in this article.
Lock from Outside- The best piece of advice for preventing being locked out is possibly to always make sure that a door is locked from the outside. Both cars and houses fall under this category. Consider using keys to lock the door behind you rather than locking a doorknob and closing it behind you or locking your automobile door before closing it. As you won’t be able to lock your door without any keys, this will prevent you from getting locked out and serves as a nice reminder that the keys are still inside. In order to avoid getting locked out in the first place, closing doors manually after leaving is the best strategy.
Hide a Spare Key- Keeping an extra key hidden is a useful backup strategy for many homeowners and car owners who don’t want to get locked out. The only drawback to hiding a spare key is that it might be found by someone else also. The security provisions that the locks offer will be rendered useless if a home burglar or car thief find a key and can use it too. This is a “double-edged” advice, if you will; on the one hand, it will be excellent for property owners who need it while being locked out, but on the other hand, it can reduce any protection that locks may provide because burglars could find the key and use it themselves to gain entry. We suggest to not to hide spare keys near the front door, especially not under rugs or doormats unless necessary for short periods of time. When searching for extra keys to use to enter a house, burglars frequently look under rugs, around hanging lights and under potted plants, close to the front entrance. To obtain the best level of security possible, bury the lock box where it can be easily remembered but not found, hide a spare key inside, and hide the lock box.
An extra house key should never be left in a personal car, according to our advice. In a smash-and-grab burglary, a criminal or thief might randomly break into your car in a crowded parking lot, only to examine the glove box and find a home key and a home address on insurance documents. They might follow this to your house, where they might use the key to enter right away and take whatever they want. Moreover, if your automobile is parked in a driveway or a public space, a thief who already knows the house where the key opens could take the key for another day. After a vehicle break-in, many of our customers find that their spare house key is missing, requiring the additional expense of rekeying their home locks to new keys in order to lock the burglars out.
Layer security is a good rule. For example, a key that only opens a garage door leading into the garage may be buried outside, and a key that opens the garage door leading into the house could be hidden away in the garage.
A spare key should be duct taped behind the back license plate for automobiles with programmed ignitions that need chipped or transponder keys to run. Many people use bare metal keys, which just unlock doors but are not programmed to start cars, therefore they cannot start the vehicle. This is the best option for people who lock themselves outside and need to quickly get in. They can get the fully functional key by unscrewing their emergency spare license plate with a screwdriver. Many people prefer this approach to using magnet boxes that are hidden underneath or next to the wheels. Because their backup magnet key box came off or went missing, people usually lock themselves out of their cars and require a professional lockout service. This story has been heard by our locksmiths numerous times.
Check for keys before leaving- Before closing a door behind you, it is important to always check for keys, even though this tip can be related to the previous one. Make sure that working keys are available in case entrance is required again if a doorknob or a car door is locked when it closes. To make managing important items easier, group similar items together. For instance, hang a key rack near the front entrance and always check it before entering and after leaving. As an alternative, always store wallets, phones, and keys together inside the home to reduce the chances that keys will be misplaced. Often, people lock themselves out because they are preoccupied with another thought or are otherwise absentminded when it comes to thinking about their keys. We always advise people to secure their cars, homes, and other vehicles from the outside, and to make sure they have their keys before leaving the house. These two suggestions complement one another; if followed correctly, people won’t experience lockouts unless there are malfunctioning locks or exceptional conditions.
Replace Malfunctioning Locks- It is always important to take adequate care of existing locks in order to attain the best level of dependability when it comes to avoiding being locked out. This could include replacing a lock completely if it is no longer working properly or applying Lock Lube to keep the internals functioning smoothly. Many business owners, property owners, and owners of vehicles recognize the advantages of functional locks over broken ones. A wonderful approach to guarantee that broken locks are changed correctly and expertly by knowledgeable lock and key specialists is to use a professional locksmith service. Many locksmiths will provide guarantee of work when repairing broken locks, something people do not receive when they buy and install locks from hardware stores by themselves. Homeowners frequently lock themselves out after installing a deadbolt or doorknob lock incorrectly. When it comes to cars, we usually suggest people to hire a key duplication service when their car keys begin to wear out after years of use.
Electronic Locks and Smart Locks- Electronic and smart locks are wonderful options if you want to completely avoid using keys. Buying a vehicle with a keypad can be the best choice. There are a variety of electronic locking devices and smart locks for homes that can connect with smartphones to completely eliminate the need for keys. Some locks will unlock when an authorized app user is nearby. Homeowners can prevent being locked out due to keys being misplaced or locked inside by installing a smart locking system. With electronic keypad deadbolts, a homeowner might easily enter the right code to unlock their home door in case their keys are misplaced. It is important to remember that some electronic deadbolt locks need their batteries changed frequently, and that doing so late could lead to a lockout situation.
Leave a Spare Key with Friends or Family- Leaving a reliable friend or family member a spare key is another excellent technique to avoid getting locked out. One might easily ask their neighbors for help if they were locked out or make a call to a relative or friend. When leaving spare keys with friends or family, it is important that they must be reliable people. You could leave a spare set of house keys and/or car keys with friends or relatives in case you get locked out and need them. If possible, choose someone who lives within a 5-mile radius. If you choose a person from out of state, it can take some time for the extra set of keys to arrive in the mail, which could lead to expensive hotel costs. Generally speaking, it’s better to leave a spare key with a nearby relative, friend, or other person so that if you will ever get locked out then you simply have to take a cab and take your keys from them and get inside. Ask the leasing office if they have a functioning copy of the key if you’re locked out of your apartment building, or see if the maintenance staff can open the door for you.
Change Your Locks- Automatic locks, as well as doorknobs and lever locks that are simple to accidentally lock while shutting a door behind you, are currently available on the market. Sticking with trusted and highly reputable lock brands will help you avoid a lockout situation. When a lock starts to act improperly or malfunction, it may be time to think about replacing it with a brand-new lock that works perfectly. Businesses and homeowners have been known to get locked out after failing to replace broken locks before they fail completely. The typical American residential lock is predicted to last around 7 years with moderate use. In order to avoid needing a locksmith service down the road, we constantly suggest homes and businesses to fix or replace their broken locks as soon as problems occur.
Leave an Upstairs Window Unlocked- In multistory homes, leaving one upstairs window unlocked is a good way to avoid being locked out. Since most robbers don’t carry a ladder, upstairs windows that are kept closed but unlocked may serve as a good entrance point for people who become locked out of their home. Instead of breaking a window or calling a reputable mobile locksmith service to your area, buying a cheap and refundable ladder from the hardware store with access to a car may be a good way to get entry.
Program Landlords Phone Number & Locksmiths- Program Locksmiths & Landlords’ Phone Number- The last piece of advice we have for people who are serious about avoiding lockouts is to keep a mobile phone pre-programmed with important phone numbers. A landlord, property management, leasing office, or nearby locksmith are all good contacts to keep saved. Sometimes inside the house, information is written down, but it is useless to the person who is locked out. Prepare for the worst case scenario by pre-programming important phone numbers into a mobile device that will always be with you.
There are many other steps that can be taken to avoid becoming locked out in the first place, and this article provides useful information. When our customers ask us for advice on how to prevent getting locked out again, we always suggest them to use their keys. The most important advice for houses and cars is to hang onto the keys at all times and only use them to unlock and lock doors if you frequently find yourself locked out with the keys inside. We always suggest homes and business owners to change their lock hardware if it begins to malfunction in addition to always knowing where the keys are. They should also think about keeping a spare key with a reliable neighbor who lives in the same city or town. The person who is locked out will possibly hire a locksmith empire.
FAQ
What To Do When Locked Out Of Your House?
Here are few things that you can do when you are locked out of your house.
You can call a family member, friend or your landlord.
Ask a neighbor for help.
Try to open with your credit card.
Break In.
Contact an Emergency Locksmith.
What is lockout protection?
Lock out, tag out is a safety practice which is used to make sure that dangerous equipment is turned off completely and cannot be started up again until maintenance or repair work has been finished.
How much does it cost to unlock a car?
What is the price to unlock a car? The price for a locksmith to unlock a car usually ranges from $50 to $250. The cost of car dealerships or towing services varies.
What is the easiest way to pick a lock?
The easiest way of picking a lock is to hire a locksmith as locksmith is someone who is well experienced and trained in handling all lock and key related issues.
