What To Do When Locked Out Of Your House?

It is very common to lose your key or miss it anywhere. One should know some techniques to one the door without keys. As you will go further in this article, you will be guided on what not and what to do when locked out of your house in a similar situation.

How Do You Get In Your House When You Are Locked Out?

Now what you need to understand is that panicking is not going to help. In situations like these, it’s best to work wisely and avoid any rash decisions as they can lead to unnecessary damage

1. Call for Help

To start with, always seek out help from people nearby you. It could be a friend or family member who has a spare key. If you live as a tenant then call your landlord as they always have a duplicate key.

Avoid calling 911 unless there is an actual emergency like a child or pet stuck inside or gas leakage.

2. Open The Door Using Your Card

If you have your wallet with you then the cards inside them might prove to be useful. Prefer using a card that is not important rather than a valuable one.

Follow these steps:

• Take the card and wedge it in between the door and frame near the latch.
• Now you have to keep the card at a right angle to the door and wiggle it around.
• Try and slide the card between the latch and door while pushing the door.
• Once it slides between them, you can push open the door with ease.

3. Disassemble The Doorknob

This procedure is relatively simple to do unless the deadbolt is locked in which case it’s futile to do this. You can either borrow some tools from your neighbour or you can use thin metal objects like hairpins.

If you look closely there is always a tiny hole beneath the knob through which you can loosen the doorknob.

• Take the bobby pin and insert it in the hole while twisting your doorknob.
• As you wriggle the pin, you will feel resistance but do not stop doing it.
• Once the metal plate of the knob comes out, you can access the locks closely.
• Using either a screwdriver or a hairpin, you can unlock the door easily.

4. Try To Break-In

There can be multiple entrances to your house thus if you have a separate key for any of those, you can always go through them inside your house.

Here are a few ways to break into your house:

• Always check if there are any windows open through which you can climb into your house.
• Garages are usually connected to the main house through an inside door. You can always try and pick the locks on garage doors or if you have a separate key, it works even better.
• If your house is multi-storeyed, see if you can access the balcony or window on the upper floor using a ladder. Just make sure you have a good attic ladder at your home.
• Double-hung windows might prove to be an asset in this situation as they can be opened from outside as well. Make sure you have a good telescopic ladder or a hangable fire escape ladder at your home as a precaution.
• If you have some experience in lock picking or have a basic lock system, you can always try breaking in through that.
• If your spare keys are near the door and you have access to a fishing rod, you can try getting the keys through the mail slot.

5. Get In Touch With An Emergency Locksmith

If nothing works out for you or you don’t feel confident enough to attempt the ways mentioned above, you can always get in touch with an emergency locksmith.

There are several security agencies or helplines which can provide you with an on-call locksmith.

It will be far more convenient and fast if you take the help of a locksmith as they are skilled in the job though it might be heavy on your pocket.

Who Can Help When I Am Locked Out Of My House?

A. Landlord

Living at a rental property can be beneficial in situations like these as the landlords always tend to keep a spare or duplicate key with themselves.

Always call your landlord before you try breaking in or climbing through a window as it might save you from a lot of mess and injuries.

B. Neighbour

Neighbours can be of great assistance in these circumstances. You can always ask them for tools to break in or to help you with the break-in.

If in any case, you feel that it will be long before any help can arrive, they can provide shelter for you or you can call for help from their phone if yours is not working.

Some people leave spare keys with their neighbours so that is an advantage.

C. Friends/Roommate

If you share your living space with someone, you can wait for them or call them as they will have a key to your house. It is better to wait in a closed space rather than break a sweat trying to break in, patience is the key here.

Also, if the spare key of your roommate or landlord is not available, always call a trusted friend so you can either crash at their place or they can help you find a safe place to wait or sleep.

This can be helpful if you don’t have neighbours or you aren’t acquainted with them enough to spend a night at their place.

What Precautions Should One Take While Opening?

There are things people tend to do in a state of distress that might cause more harm than good.

Let us take a look at what not to do while you are locked out of the house:

• Panic: It will be of no help if you freak out because it will just end up hampering your decision making. You will end up making irrational decisions.
• Ladder: If you are planning on using a ladder to access the upper floor, take care of the ground surface; it must not be slippery as it gets during rainy seasons. Avoid using worn-out ladders with a risky base of support.
• Do Not Drill: No matter what the situation, do not drill inside the lock as it might irreparably damage the door and you will have to get the whole door replaced when the situation ends.
• Do Not Kick: Also, kicking the door might not be the best option because you will end up destroying the door frame along with the door. This will not only cost you a lot for getting the door made again but you could end up with uncalled injuries.
• Break A Window: Only if there is an emergency like fire or someone stuck inside that you should break the window. Be patient and wait for the help to come. It will end up costing you a lot to replace a window. If you have a good skylight window at your home, you can break open it to move inside.

How To Avoid Getting Locked Out Of The House?

Smart Locks: The best way to avoid losing keys is to digitalise them. Having locks that open through passcodes or biometrics can provide you additional security and will save you the hassle of keys.

Spare Keys: Always try and keep some spare keys with a trusted neighbour or friend. You can always hide them at a secret place which only you can access.

Oiling Hinges And Doors: Keep your door hinges oiled so if you try to break in, it is easier for your door to slide when you push.

Final talk

In conclusion, when facing such circumstances the best way is to stay patient and get professional help before you try to do anything by yourself. Always try and find a shelter when the help is on the way and you know that it will take time. We have also provided a guide on how to avoid getting locked out of your house.