How You Can Avoid Lockouts
For sure, it’s very inconvenient and infuriating to discover that you’re locked out, and it’s especially unnerving if you’re stuck somewhere without your keys after dark. Right now, before a lock and key emergency comes up, you can decide to establish some basic principles. Choose to make these easy strategies a daily habit from now on, and you’ll never find yourself locked out again!
Keys, phone, wallet. Whenever you walk out the door, remind yourself: keys, phone, wallet. It’s your mantra from now on. Do a pat-down: check your pockets, your purse, or pack. (You may want to add a few more items to your list, such as: sunglasses, reading glasses, driving glasses, and so forth.)
Always know where your keys are. Be aware of your keys no matter where you go. If you leave, realizing that you’ve forgotten something, and then you go back in to retrieve it, don’t throw your keys down on the table and forget them! Instead, keep your keys in your hand, or inside your purse or pocket. If you ever lend a spare key to a trusted friend or neighbor, always get it back as soon as possible.
Replace any faulty locks. Periodically inspect all your locks. Repair, replace, or upgrade them when necessary. If any of your locks become difficult to open, the key could break inside the lock mechanism. Don’t make copies of keys from keys that are already duplicates, because they eventually won’t function. If any locks are too worn-out, they’ll easily become jammed.
Store an extra copy of your key in a good hiding place. Placing a key under the welcome mat, over the door frame, or beneath your flower pot is a rotten idea, because every robber knows to look in these locations. A phony-rock keyholder is worthless if an intruder already knows what it looks like. It’s best to give a duplicate key to a neighbor or friend you trust ~ preferably someone who’s at home a lot of the time.
Carry a fake credit card. If you want to be bold, keep one of those sample credit cards that comes in the mail, or a gift card you’ve already used. Don’t use an active one, because it will definitely get ruined. It doesn’t really work the way it does on TV, but it still might work for you ~ that is, only if there isn’t a deadbolt. It has to be a bored door lock, with the sloped ridge of the bolt facing towards you. (If the door opens towards you, then the bolt is likely facing the wrong direction.) If the bolt is the correct kind, and it’s facing the right way, then try this:
- Put the card in the space between the door and the jamb above the bolt.
- Gently, slide the card down between the strike plate and the bolt.
- Push the card, and push the door.
- If you’re lucky, the door will open, and you’ll leave everything (except the card, of course) undamaged.
Are you more adventurous? Then carry a pick set. If your local and state laws allow it, try to pick the lock. Not all locks can be picked, but you can give it a try. Maybe some time you’ll be able to help someone else who’s locked out.
Before you ever get into a jam, locate a reputable locksmith. The right way to locate a reputable locksmith is to find one before you ever need one. Do your homework, so you won’t get overcharged or scammed.
Ask friends, family, and colleagues for their recommendations. Word of mouth from a satisfied customer is certainly ideal.
Do your research to find a local trusty locksmith. Check your phone book and the Internet. Note the locksmith companies in your area, with their phone numbers and addresses. Find locksmiths who specialize in the services you require. Utilizing the Web, match up the telephone numbers with their street addresses. An unreliable company may list a false address, or none at all, claiming that it’s local. If someone answers the phone with a generic salutation such as “locksmith services,” ask for the business name. If that person won’t say it, cross that one off the list. Keep in mind also that a completely trustworthy locksmith company might not include a street address because it runs a mobile business, which dispatches a locksmith professional who’s local to every customer. Therefore, simply ask why their address isn’t listed.
Be skeptical if a locksmith says you’ll need to drill or replace the lock just because you’re locked out. A locksmith of integrity will bring the correct tools, and possess the expertise to know that such drastic measures are unnecessary. A genuine expert locksmith can unlock literally anything.
Confirm your locksmith’s credentials. When the locksmith arrives, request a business card, identification, and proof of a license. The invoice should include the company name. The locksmith’s truck should show the company name also, and also match the company name on the business card and invoice. The locksmith must also ask you for your identification, too. Before starting work, a locksmith must authenticate your identity, and confirm that you’re the actual property owner.
When you’ve finally found a dependable locksmith, keep that company’s contact information aside in a sensible place, such as in your wallet, on your smart device, on the fridge, or on your bulletin board at work ~ so you’ll always be able to get yourself out of trouble in a lockout situation. An outstanding locksmith will always be glad to answer all your questions.
If you’re in Naperville, Illinois, consider hiring Naperville Locksmith Pro, where staff mobile professional locksmith technicians are at the ready 24/7 to provide residential, automotive, commercial, and emergency locksmith solutions.
What if you’re locked out right now? If you don’t have a spare key hidden somewhere, and you don’t have someone who keeps one for you, then see whether you’ve left another door or a window open.
If all else fails, then hire a locksmith! You may be tempted to toy with the idea of breaking a window or kicking in the door. But should you actually risk being mistaken for a cat burglar? Of course not. Avoid this disaster in the future! Plan ahead!