The only thing worse than being locked out of your house? Being locked out of your house when you’re in your pajamas and it’s freezing outside. Regardless of your clothing situation or the time of the year, though, getting locked outside your home is a frustrating experience.
If this happens to you, don’t panic! Make sure you’re mentally prepared and everything will be fine. Here are some steps to take if you find yourself unexpectedly stuck outside of your house.
Steps to Take After Locking Yourself Outside
First off, determine whether you (or a neighbor) needs to call 911. If a child is alone in the home, a burner is going on the stove or there’s some other emergency scenario, it’s important to get the local authorities involved as quickly as possible. If the situation isn’t potentially life threatening, however, you can take some not-so-drastic steps:
- Look for other entry points: Is there an open window or unlocked back door? This might not be a wise security decision if you’re away from home, but if there’s an accessible entry point, try that first.
- Try some safe DIY entry methods: It’s possible that you can use a credit card to gain entry back into your home (if you don’t have a deadbolt, at least). Whatever you do, don’t try and break a window, as that can lead to an injury and repair costs.
- Call a friend or family member: Does anyone you know and trust have a key to your home? It’s easy to forget simple things like this when you’re flustered. Give them a call or find someone who has a phone so they can help you out.
- Call a professional locksmith: If the above steps fail or if you just want a streamlined solution, it’s time to call a professional locksmith. This might be the first step you try, anyway. While it carries an expense, it’s the safest, most reliable and often quickest solution.
Tips for Preventing Locking Yourself Out of Your House
Of course, if you can avoid this from happening in the first place, that’d be ideal. Here are some things you can do to prevent locking yourself out of your house:
- Spare key: Whether it’s in a fake rock, hidden somewhere only you know or with a neighbor, having a spare key is perfect for instances like this. A professional locksmith can duplicate your keys so you have as many spares as you need.
- New locks: You might also consider upgrading your locks to include keypad or digital options. That way, you only need a combination or your phone to open them.
- Key finder: If you find yourself misplacing your keys often, it might be a wise idea to invest in a key-finding device. These can be fairly inexpensive and you can track where your key is at all times via an app on your phone.
If you’re interested in more security tips for your home, give the A-1 Locksmith team a call today at (972) 284-7500 for a consultation.
