Door locks are a critical part of home security in that they prevent strangers from coming into your house. But what happens when a person cannot get into their own house? Getting locked out of your house can be annoying and frustrating. It also happens at the most inconvenient of times like when it’s raining, and when you really need to use the restroom.
Regardless, just like any other problem, there are solutions to this problem as well. There are steps that one can take in case they have locked themselves out. Doing them step by step leads to a hassle-free process.
- Call another house member. If there are multiple people living in your house it is possible that they would also have a key to the house. Call them and see whether they can come over to unlock the door for you.
- Look for open back doors or windows. While the back door and windows should always be checked before leaving to ensure the security of your house, there is no harm to check if any of them are unlocked.
- Try to call the landlord. If you are living in a house on rent, there is a possibility that the landlord might have the keys to your house. Contact the landlord and let them know about your situation and see if they can help you.
- Calling the locksmith. Having a locksmith come over is probably the most convenient way to get out of such a situation, but it is also the most expensive one. The advantages of a locksmith are that they will unlock any door within minutes without any major damage to the door lock. The downside is that locksmiths usually cost around $150 depending on where you live.
- Trying to break in. This should be done as a last resort, in a case where you cannot find a locksmith. Breaking into your house will look sketchy to people walking by who do not know you. How you break in will depend on the type of lock you have. Normally, credit cards or IDs may be used to break in.
While these are the steps that one should do in case of a lock-out, there are some things that one should avoid. Firstly, do not enforce yourself into the house by breaking the door, or throwing a rock at the window. This can injure you and the money that you will pay for repairs will be much better spent on a locksmith. Furthermore, do not call emergency services like the police, as they will not respond until the lock-out is connected to an actual emergency e.g., a fire breakout.
