Nothing is more annoying than getting yourself locked out of a car or home. The hassle and stress that go with it can take quite a toll on you. Whether you’re driving your way to an important event or going home after a long day, getting locked out is certainly a headache. When this occurs, hold your horses and simmer down! There are a few practical steps that you can take to get yourself out of the locked situation. Below are four steps that you can take for your guide and reference.
1. Seek help from someone.
If you lost a key or left it inside, the most logical step is to call your partner, family, or someone who lives with you. If you’re lucky enough, they are at home who can easily let you in. They can also come home if they’re just nearby to reduce your time of being stranded outside of your home. If you live in an apartment, reach out to your landlord or drop by the management office to ask for help in getting access to your unit. If you get yourself locked out of a car, you can check with your spouse for the spare key and let him or her bring it to you.
2. Check unlocked doors or windows.
We’ve heard a lot of stories about people getting locked out, only to find out there are alternative doors or windows that they could use to get in. While leaving windows and doors unlocked shouldn’t be a practice, you’ve got to do what you have to do when you’re locked out. Go around the house, check the doors, and see if you can get in via the windows. When entering a window, make sure to remove the screen, lift the window, and slip in. When doing so, be very careful as you don’t want to get yourself hurt or damage the pieces of furniture.
3. Devise improvised tools.
Lockpicking can be a bit tricky in actual situations. While we don’t encourage using your lockpicking skills for harm, it may be a useful skill when you need to help yourself. First, start by preparing bobby pins and paper clips as your DIY tools. Then, bend one of the metal pieces into an “L” shape and straighten out the other piece and bend a small “W” into the wire at the end. Hold the L-shaped piece in place and use the W-shaped part to feel for pins. Finally, push the pins up with the W-shaped piece to unlock the door.
4. Contact a locksmith.
If the first three steps didn’t work, it’s time for you to accept the reality that you’ll need a locksmith. Doing so may not be the cheapest option, but a professional locksmith is a surefire way to let you back into your home. There are a handful of locksmiths available at your disposal. The cost varies from one person to another, from one company to another. Typically, they are available 24/7, ready to help you out during emergencies.
In Conclusion
When you get yourself locked out, the initial reaction is to panic and not know what to do. Fret not, as the steps mentioned above can help you in this situation—seeking help from someone, checking other unlocked doors, and using improvised tools.
When you try all the aforementioned, but to no avail, the last resort is to call a locksmith. Given the knowledge, skills, and right tools, a locksmith is trained and experienced in unlocking doors. If you are looking for a locksmith in Cincinnati, OH, get in touch with us today to see how we can help.