Locksmith advice for preventing being locked out

I think we can safely say summer is here…

The evidence is overwhelming: we’ve had at least 4 days of sunshine, oddly coinciding with the May bank holidays which was a most bewildering phenomenon, and now with thunderstorms on the horizon and a couple of England batting collapses already behind us in the cricket, it looks like we’re settled in for a typically British summer.

Summer is typically a time for being outside. Unless you dislike the hot weather of course, a point of view with which I have considerable sympathy.  It’s a broad church on this site though – plenty of room for all points of view, whether you prefer to be topping up your tan in the back garden, or hibernating in the lounge with the curtains half shut, scowling at the sun’s reflection on the TV screen, hoping for some cool rainy weather so you have an excuse to stay inside and watch the World Cup.

For the purposes of today’s blog, we’ll assume you’ll be outside at some point during the next few months anyway, and would also quite like to get back inside your house or flat at some stage – perhaps to do random things like eat, sleep or shower – whatever you get up to in your spare time is none of my business. But these will all necessitate you going indoors which shouldn’t be a problem unless, wait for it, you’ve locked yourself out. Finally the subject of the blog rears its head – we got there in the end, didn’t we, and it only took about 250 words.

Locking yourself outside in the summer might have the advantage of you being unlikely to freeze to death as quickly as if you’d done it in the depths of winter, but let’s face it, it’s still pretty inconvenient. So what can you do to either prevent it or not make it a total disaster should prevention not work?

Our top tips to avoid getting locked out

Tip number one is to keep your keys on you. I know it’s obvious, but I go on so many jobs where people haven’t done this. This tip is especially important if you have a Yale style lock which will automatically lock the door if you accidentally let it shut behind you. It’s a staple of comedy TV and films, but the reality of you locking yourself out of the house after just nipping out in your dressing gown to put the bins out is rarely quite as funny as on the screen. No matter how long you’re popping out for, even if you’re just gardening or washing the car, make sure you have that key in your pocket to prevent any accidental lock outs.

Tip number two now and we’ll assume that you ignored tip number one for one reason or another (Why…why would you do that..I’m trying to help). You’ve found yourself locked out of the house and are beginning to panic. Here’s where the benefit of having duplicate keys makes itself known. Get yourself an extra key cut and leave it with a nearby friend or neighbour so you can contact them and gain entry with minimal hassle. This option kills two birds with one stone as also means someone nearby has a key for any other emergencies that might occur whilst you’re away from home or on holiday. Obviously make sure the keyholder is a trusted friend or neighbour and not someone you’ve just met, and why not offer to reciprocate by holding their keys? It’s nice to be nice and all that.

Tip number three assumes that you ignored the first two tips (I can’t believe you’ve done that again, it’s like I’m wasting my breath) and that you’re locked out with no key in your pocket and no duplicate keys available nearby. Here’s where I come in. Well, any professional locksmith really, but for the purposes of this example we’ll assume it’s me as why would you choose anyone else? Give me a call and I will be able to help you gain access to your home and leave it in a secure state afterwards. By which I don’t mean I’ll smash a window and leave you with the expense and hassle of clearing up afterwards and having to call out a glazing firm to make the house secure again. No, I’ll get you inside and then ensure that the house is left in as secure a state as it was before. You’ll find this is a much cheaper option than the smashed window route!

Know your local locksmith

I would urge you to have a reputable locksmith’s number stored in your mobile phone. Waiting until you need one runs the risk of you picking one at random from search results without doing any research. Sadly there are some people out there posing as professional locksmiths who are nothing of the sort, and they’ll take the opportunity to either overcharge you, or to get an inside look at your security arrangements in order to come back at a later date uninvited. For this reason it’s worth taking a few minutes to search for a security checked, reputable, professional, experienced locksmith in advance of any situation and have their number stored just in case of an emergency. And yes, I do meet all those criteria – thank you for asking!

So there you have it with tips on how to avoid locking yourself out of the house. In conclusion, firstly ensure a key is always on your person, secondly do the duplicate key thing and thirdly, get that (my) number stored in your phone so that an inconvenience doesn’t become a disaster.