Our locks and keys help protect our assets, our
loved ones, and ourselves. Without them, we would be vulnerable to intruders
and have no real way to protect ourselves from home or vehicle break-ins and
thefts. Most of the time we can count on our locks to function properly and it
is likely we do not think much about them as we go about our days. That is, of
course, until we experience some sort of problem with our locks.
One of the most common lock and key issues one
can experience is a lockout. Whether you are locked out of your vehicle or
home, a lockout is bound to happen to the majority of us at some point in our
lives. Luckily, regardless of what kind of lockout scenario you may find
yourself in now or at some point in the future, there are plenty of ways you
can resolve lockouts quickly and efficiently.
Residential Lockouts
There are a couple of different kinds of
residential lockouts. The most common will be either home lockouts or apartment
lockouts. Depending on where you live and whether or not you own or rent your
dwelling, there are certain procedures you should follow in order to alleviate
a lockout.
Homeowners
Most home lockouts can be prevented with a little
bit of preparation. A lot of homeowners opt to hide an extra house key
somewhere on their property to retrieve during a lockout situation. You can
either purchase hide-a-key devices or find a clever hiding spot somewhere
around your home to store the key safely.
A lot of homeowners are turning to electronic and
keyless entry locks to help prevent lockouts altogether. Upgrading to
electronic or smart locks makes it so that a physical key is unnecessary to
unlock your home doors. One can purchase models that either allow users to
connect their smartphones to their home locks or operate through the use of a
keypad or combination device. The need for a traditional key is eliminated and
a much more secure and convenient mechanism is put in its place.
Apartment Complexes
Apartment lockouts differ slightly from home
lockouts. Most of the time, you will either not have the option to hide an
extra key to your apartment on the property, such as you might if you owned
your own home. You do not want to leave an extra apartment key under your front
door mat, since this is an obvious hiding spot to begin with, but may also be
the only hiding spot. If you are concerned about apartment lockouts, you should
leave an extra apartment key in your car or have an extra key made that a
friend or family member can hang on to.
Most of the time, if you are locked out of your
apartment, the complex management can let you back inside of your apartment.
Some complexes have emergency management hours available for this reason, so
even if the office is closed, you may still be able to reach someone to help.
However, because this may not always be possible, it is best to give a copy of
your apartment key to someone your trust or leave a spare in your vehicle.
Vehicle Lockouts
Vehicle lockouts can be one of the most
inconvenient types of lockouts. Unless you have a specialized device that
stores a key on the outside of your vehicle, usually near one of the vehicle’s
tires, it is likely that you will need to call a locksmith. Since vehicle
lockouts usually need to be resolved as quickly as possible, calling in a
professional right away is recommended.
Do not try to break-in to your own vehicle
yourself unless it is an emergency. If there are children or animals locked in
the car and it is hot outside, you will obviously want to get into the car and
anyone out of it as soon as possible. If you can wait, however, it is advised
that you call a locksmith and have them help you get back into your vehicle
without any damage to your locks or windows.
