We have all, at some point in our lives, locked ourselves out. There’s nothing strange about it. It just happens for various reasons – maybe you’re in a hurry, or perhaps you’re distracted. The question here is how to get back in? And also, how to prevent it from ever happening again? The following list comprises a few steps you could follow:
Try entering through other doors or windows
The first and most logical thing to do when you lock yourself out of your house is to try other doors or windows.
Maybe just maybe your backdoor or your balcony door is open. If that’s not the case, then try one of your windows. This might seem strange to your neighbors, but they’ll understand because locking yourself out isn’t all that uncommon as you might think. Just be very careful if you’re planning to enter your house through the window. Keep your balance and watch where you step; you wouldn’t want to fall and make an even worse problem.
Try calling your family or roommates
In case you live with a family member or a roommate, there’s a chance you’re saved. Call them and ask them to let you in. It won’t take much time, and you may be able to return the favor when it happens to them.
If you don’t have the roommate and you’re renting the place, your best chance is your landlord. They will have a spare key for sure. Tell them that you’re sorry for the inconvenience, but you’d rather have called them than picked a lock.
Pick a lock
Which brings us to our next option in handling the lock – try picking it. Yes, you’ve read that right – pick your lock with the help of a rake, hook, or a tension wrench. If you’re going to use a rake to pick your lock, you don’t need much knowledge in how to do this as it’s the easiest way of lock picking. If you’re not sure about how to pick a lock, check out YouTube – there are many videos on this topic.
The next option is to pick a lock with a plastic card. Any credit card will do. You can only open the doorknob with spring bolts with this method. Just insert your card between the door frame and the door latch and start pushing the card. Then start bending the card away from the doorknob, all the while pushing your weight against the door. It should do the job, but in case it doesn’t, you can always call a locksmith.
Call a locksmith
If none of the above have worked out, then it’s time to call a locksmith. Requesting the assistance of an expert mobile locksmith is what you need. And you’ll probably wonder why you haven’t called them in the first place. If, by any chance, you have locked yourself out and your phone is somewhere inside the house, try asking your neighbors to let you use their phone so you can give the locksmith a ring. This is probably one of the reasons why you should be on good terms with your neighbors.
Have to avoid getting locked out
Having a spare key hidden in a good spot can help you avoid situations of this kind. If you think stashing a key like this is too risky, then give your spare key to a neighbor, friend, or any family members that don’t live with you.
Other ways that can save you the headache of being locked out of your own home include smart locks.
Smart locks are gadgets that are connected to either your phone or tablet. This means that you can enter your home by using those devices.
If this is too techy for you, try installing keyless locks that have keypads instead of keyholes. Having these kinds of locks means that there is no need for an actual key. All you need to know is your passcode.
Conclusion
Getting locked out happens, and usually when you’re in a rush to get somewhere. But as you can see, there is no need to panic or get exasperated – there is a solution to every problem. And if locking yourself out is something that just regularly happens to you, there is a solution for this too.