What To Do When Locked Out Of The House (Do This!)

We’ve all been there at one time or another. That awful feeling when you realize that you forgot your house key and you’re locked out of your house. The good news is that you don’t have to stay locked out for long. Whether your key isn’t working, you forgot your door combination, or you lost your key, there are ways for you to get back into your home.

If you’re locked out of your house, you should first call a friend or neighbor who has a spare key. If there aren’t any spare keys, then try other doors and windows in case one of them is unlocked. The last thing that you want to do is break a door or window in order to gain access.

Getting locked out of your house is scary and no fun at all. However, before you resort to breaking things, there are plenty of other options. We’re going to look at what those options are and everything else you should try rather than breaking into your own home.

My first instinct if I lock myself out of my house is always to check for unlocked windows and doors. Depending on the size of your home, or if you live in an apartment, you might only have one door. However, if you happen to have backdoors or side doors, there’s a chance that you or someone else forgot to lock them before leaving the house.

Windows are also a good option if you’re locked out. Windows are designed in a way where it’s possible to push them open from the outside, as long as they aren’t locked. If there’s a screen in the way, you can usually wiggle and jiggle them enough to get them out of the way. Or, you can optionally sacrifice a screen by breaking it since they aren’t as expensive as breaking a door or window. If you can get a window open, there’s a good chance that you can crawl through it and access your home.

If you don’t have a spare key already, this experience will likely show you the importance of having at least one. Many people give spare keys to friends, family, or neighbors that live nearby and that they trust. If you’ve done this, then getting into your home is as easy as calling them up and having them unlock your door.

I like to exhaust all of my other options first because I don’t like to be a burden and have people drop what they’re doing to come to bail me out. It’s also possible that it might be late at night or early in the morning and your buddy with the spare key is sleeping. As a last resort, however, calling a friend with a key is better and cheaper than calling a locksmith.

If you have a deadbolt on your door, then don’t bother doing this because it won’t do any good. However, if you only secure your door with a doorknob, it might be possible to take it apart and get inside your home. Keep in mind that most doorknobs aren’t designed to be able to do this easily or quietly, in order to discourage thieves from breaking in. It’s also unlikely that you’ll have the tools you need to dismantle a knob unless you are in a line of work where you carry tools in your car.

However, here’s what you need to do to dismantle your knob if you happen to have the tools to do it. On the side or bottom of your knob, there are a set of mounting screws. Use a screwdriver or paper clip to remove those screws. Once the door handle is removed, you can access the hinge screws on your doorknob and remove those as well. With these things taken apart, you should then be able to remove the entire doorknob and get into your home.

Using a credit card or drivers license to pick a lock is harder than it looks in the movies, but it’s possible on some locks. To do this, you’ll need a sturdy credit card or other thin, solid card. Wedge it in between the door and the door jamb and wiggle it from front to back while jiggling the doorknob. Yes, I realize that there’s a lot of wiggling and jiggling going on, but that’s the only way this will work.

There’s a good chance that you’ll damage your card while doing this so make sure to use one you don’t care about. There’s also a good chance that this method won’t work so don’t get your hopes up. Most exit and entry doors are too sturdy to be moved by a simple credit card and you’re more likely to ruin your card than open your door. Still, it’s at least worth a shot if you’re locked out and have no other options.

Related Questions

Should I Call 911 if I’m locked out of my house?

It’s not a good idea to call 911 if you’re locked out of your house unless it’s an emergency. 911 should only be used for medical or personal safety emergencies and not as your own personal locksmith.

Is picking a lock easy?

Picking a lock is extremely difficult if not impossible if you don’t have proper training. Locksmiths spend a great deal of time learning how to pick locks and their special tools to make it easier. You can try to pick your own lock but you have an extremely slim chance of succeeding.