Locked Out Of The House? – 10+ Ideas You Can Try!

As a security installer and locksmith, I can tell you people getting locked out of their house is my number one call. Getting locked out of your own house isn’t unusual. Misplacing or losing keys is something we’ve all done at one point. Thankfully, there is always a way to open the locked door and get back inside.

Below we go through some quick solutions on what to do when you’ve locked keys inside your house, and some more house lockout tips and tricks. 

Here are things that you can do if you are locked out of the house (we’ll go into more detail below):

1. Find a Spare House Key 
2. Pick the Lock
3. Search for open doors or windows
4. Contact a Local Locksmith
5. Break a window to get in 

Double-check Doors and Windows

Unlocked windows can be dangerous, but can prove to be a blessing when you’ve locked keys inside the house. If there is no way to open a locked door, the best thing to do is to see if you left any windows or doors unlocked before leaving the house.

If yes, and the entrance is big enough to squeeze in a grown person, you could get through and open the house from the inside. If you have any kids, it could be a good opportunity to take advantage of their small size and send them in!

Rundown Your List Of Who Might Have a Spare Key to Your House

Most people always make duplicates of their house keys and give them to people they trust. If you were wise enough to do the same, then you’re in luck, especially when you’ve locked your keys inside.

If you gave a friend or a family member the key to your home, you can always call them and get help in case you’ve experienced a house lockout, landlords also carry spares they can quickly lend you. 

Remove The Doorknob

Removing the doorknob could also give you access to your house when you’ve locked keys inside. 

Depending upon the type of doorknob, you’d first need to locate the screws, and gently, unscrew the fasteners using a screwdriver. (1)

For pinholes or slots, you’d need a flathead screwdriver. In case the screwdriver is too big to unfasten the bolts, you could also make do with paper clips. Once the screws have been undone, you can easily remove the doorknob. If you don’t have a toolbox with you, consider borrowing one from your neighbor. 

Use A Coat Hanger

If there is any visible space between the sides of the door, you can insert a coat hanger and try to pull the tongue of lock-up to open it up during a house lockout (this will only work for lower-level security doors that don’t use a key). However, if there is no space to slide the coat hanger in, then there is no point in trying. 

Call a Locksmith

If you’ve locked keys inside the house and have no duplicates, you can contact a local locksmith and have them open the door. This could cost you a lot, but this will 100% give you access to your home and prevent any chance of damages you might have brought on to your door (it’s common that inexperienced residents break their locks trying to open them and cost themselves more than getting a locksmith would have).

If you’re thinking of calling a local locksmith service, make sure you have something that proves you live inside the house that you’re trying to enter. Some locksmiths will respond to emergencies even after midnight but may charge a little more than usual. On average, a locksmith could cost you $150+. This price may be higher when you’re calling the professional for after hour emergency service. In such cases, the fee could soar up to $300, depending upon the time, and the professional. 

Try The Dog Door

In case of emergency, if there is a dog or kitty door around the house, and if you’re slender enough to pass through, you can try this option as well.

Call For a Spare Key

If you live in a rented place, chances are your landlord may have an extra key too, most of them do. Reach out to them and get a copy of the key. In case you happen to live in a gated complex, it is likely that you could get a duplicate or a master key from the community’s manager.

Make sure you have evidence that proves that you’re indeed the resident of the house that you’re trying to get into. This can make seeking help from the manager considerably easier. 

Get A Ladder

In a two-story house, there could be a chance that the first-floor windows have been left unlocked. See if you can find a ladder, perhaps from a construction site near your home, or from a neighbor. 

See If There is a Lock That You Can Pick

If you have any tools like bobby pins at your disposal, you could use them to pick the lock. You could pick locks using some regular household items such as bobby pins, paper clips, and even credits cards. Here are a few methods of picking a lock.

Try A Bump Key

Bump keys are little master keys, as they can pop open any lock. You could get your hands on these from a locksmith or a local hardware store. If you’re buying the keys yourself, go for the ones that resemble the keyhole of your front door the best.  

Try Using a Credit Card to Unlock Your Door

You can also use paper clips if you don’t have bobby pins. Another regular object that could be used to open a locked door is a credit card. You could also use certain tools to pick the window locks, which could be slightly easier to undo than the main doors. (2)

See If You Can Pop a Door Lock With a Bobby Pin or Paper Clip

Bend the top metal bar of the bobby pin, so the whole thing looks like an L.

Bend the other one in the shape of a W.

Use the L-shaped pin to hold the lock, and insert the W-shaped one to feel the pins of the lock.

Once you feel that you have come around the pins, push them up and unlock the door. 

What not to do when you’re locked out of the house 

When you’re locked out of the house, you could be tempted to take the easy way out by breaking a glass window and opening the locked door from the inside. However, there are various hazards attached to this. One, you could injure yourself while trying to get inside the smashed window. The broken shards of glass could get into your skin and could cause injury. In addition to this, replacing the window could be expensive. So, think twice before considering breaking the window. Only entertain this idea if it is an emergency, and you need to get inside immediately.

We also don’t suggest you climb down the chimney since this can be dangerous.  Another drawback of smashing the windows could be that somebody could call the police, thinking that a robbery is taking place. If this happens, you’re likely to get apprehended by the police and kept in the station until you prove that you’re indeed the resident.

How to avoid getting locked out of your house

Here are a few tips for house lockouts to ensure that you don’t lock the keys inside ever again.

Stash a spare key somewhere safe

Stash a spare key around your house somewhere safe to avoid house lockouts. This spare key would be secondary to the duplicates you’d be handing out to a friend. We don’t suggest you keep the spare key in obvious hidden spots like under the doormat. Rather, improvise, and see if there are any other hidden places around your house that could hold a key.

Perhaps a container in the garage could do the trick. You could also buy a safe to hide the key online. Most of these safes use combination locks, so you won’t have to keep a set of keys close to you. Anytime you’re going out, simply stash the key inside the safe, put on the lock, and rest easy.

Ensure that you cover the combination lock with your hand while entering the code every time, so nobody behind you can see the numbers. 

Give a key to a close friend or neighbor

The first thing to do is make duplicates of your key and give one to a friend or a family member, or anyone you trust. If you ever get locked out of the house again, you could always call them and get the spare. Or you could also hand a duplicate to a neighbor while leaving the house.

Consider going keyless

Thankfully, technology has advanced enough to give us the choice of going keyless. If you have the cash to spare, consider installing an electronic lock system. The method of unlocking the electronic lock could differ from system to system. Some could even be unlocked using a smartphone. Alternatively, there are also certain simpler locks, that require a four or six-digit custom code to open up. In any case, going keyless is certainly an idea to sleep on. 

The bottom line: Be prepared in case you are locked out of your home

Getting locked out of your own house is never fun. However, the possibility of that happening is ever-present. To that end, it is best to always be prepared with a backup plan, should it come to that. 

References
(1) type of doorknob – https://www.lowes.com/n/buying-guide/door-hardware-101
(2) credit card – https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/creditcard.asp