What to Do If You Get Locked Out of Your House

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We’ve all misplaced keys at some point in our lives. What you don’t want to happen is to lose them right before you’re set to enter your home. Getting locked out of your house happens more often than you might expect and if you’re not prepared, it could be an overwhelming situation.

Here’s some tips on what to do if you get locked out of your house. For more security tips including the use of smart locks, which can prevent you from getting locked out in the first place, take a look at our list of the best home security systems.

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Steps to follow if you get locked out of your house

Keep calm

Getting locked out of your house can be a stressful situation. What you don’t want is to make a rash decision under pressure that you’ll regret later.

Assess your situation calmly and proceed with caution. The last thing you want is to break a window or try to jam open a door before realizing your keys were in your purse the whole time.

Contact someone who may have a spare key

The first thing you’re going to want to do after collecting yourself is to think of another set of keys that could unlock your home. If you don’t have a spare key hidden somewhere in your patio, you may have a housemate or family member who has one.

This is another reason why staying calm is a good idea, as the obvious thought of who has a spare key might not pop up during a stress-filled moment.

Even if you live alone or are certain no other parties have access to your home, notifying a close friend or family member is still a good idea because they might have some insight as to how to help you in your predicament. They might suggest ways to enter your home, recommend a good locksmith or at least help you find a place to stay if all else fails.

Check for open doors or windows

Once you’re absolutely certain you don’t have your keys on you and there’s no way to get a spare set, your next step should be to check any windows or doors that might have been left open. After all, the problem might solve itself rather quickly if you notice you left the back door open or can crawl in through the living room window.

You might want to warn your neighbors beforehand to avoid any misunderstandings. They might not recognize you as the person crawling into your home and call the authorities. That’s an awkward conversation that you’ll surely want to avoid.

Call a locksmith

If there’s no other solution available, calling a locksmith is a surefire way to access your home in a safe and timely manner. You might consider trying to pop open your lock with a bobby pin or a credit card but this can permanently ruin your lock and still not provide any results.

Locksmiths are trained to help you regain access to your home in the safest manner possible and can even provide you with spare keys to prevent future incidents. Ask your neighbors, close friends or family members to recommend a locksmith they trust.

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