How to Handle Lockout Situations

When someone finds themselves locked out of their home or car, this is undoubtedly a frustrating time. No one likes the idea of being stranded with no way in. Often when this occurs, it is at the most inconvenient time possible.

Common Reasons You Might Find Yourself Locked Out:

Old Keys – When you notice that your key will not open the door, your keys may be too old and need replacing. Old keys can keep you from being able to get inside. It isn’t uncommon that people continue to use the key they have. They don’t usually contribute this to the reason for their problem. If you need a key, this is an easy problem to have resolved. Get rid of your old key to avoid trying to use it again.

Jammed Pins – When the lock pins in your lock become jammed, it will prevent you from being able to use your key. You could spray a silicone spray inside the lock to see if it helps the problem. If the key still will not turn in the lock, it might be necessary to give our locksmiths a call. In most cases our locksmiths are able to get your key moving inside the lock just by spraying an effective lubricant on the lock. When you are receiving maintenance on your locks on a routine basis, you are less likely to experience this type of problem.

Things You Should Always Avoid Doing

You should not try to force the key to turn. When you force the key to turn the end result could be your breaking the key off in the lock. If you simply jerk the key out of the lock, you may find yourself further disappointed, as this could also cause your key to break off in the lock. We suggest that you simply slow down and think about how you will respond. Reacting to your situation without thinking will undoubtedly make the problem worse than it already is. The last thing you would want to happen is for the key to break off in the lock. At this point, you won’t have a choice except to give our locksmiths a call to safely extract it for you.

Simply stop and consider if what you are about to do can actually make the problem better or worse. No one wants a bad situation to get any worse than it already is. When you break the key off in the lock, you will not be able to lock the door behind you; as if being locked out wasn’t frustrating enough!

If you rely on the services of a locksmith, they will be able to extract the key or whatever object is stuck in the lock without damaging the key or lock. If you don’t call on the services of a qualified, reputable locksmith, they could actually make the problem worse simply so that they can get more work from you. We would never do that. Our objective is to attend to your problem as quickly as possible and resolve the problem so that you can move on with the rest of your day. If something is stuck in your lock don’t over-react, just give us a call. If you have already broken the key in the lock, you can always count on one of our locksmiths to effectively handle the problem for you.

STOP!

STOP! Before breaking a window to gain access back inside your home or car, just remember that this will create another problem. You will have to get the window repaired if you break it. We know that at the time, it might seem like the only way to handle your situation but we assure you that there are other options. Also, if someone were to see you breaking into your home or car, this could give them the idea that this is how they can gain access to your home or car. Don’t give anyone ideas of how they can gain access into your home. The best thing you can do at this point, if you do not have a spare key, is rely on our locksmiths to help you gain entry again.

What You Should Do

There are things that can minimize your level of frustration if you should happen to find yourself locked out, such as have a spare key made and provide it to someone who is generally available to bring it to you. You shouldn’t give it to someone who travels for work and you never know when or if they will be around when you need them. You should also consider having routine maintenance performed on your locks to keep them in good working condition. You won’t regret it!