Who hasn’t been in this frustrating situation? You come home from work, school, or just some errands, pull out your key as you usually do every day, get it inside the door lock, and try to turn it – but nothing moves. While this is a very upsetting situation, it is preventable, and in this article, we will tell you all about how to make sure it doesn’t happen again (or at least minimize the chances) and who can you turn to in times of need.
Assess the situation – what could be wrong?
When a door isn’t unlocking, we might jump straight to panic and stress, which is normal but won’t be very helpful at this moment. Instead, we can try and take control of the situation, and attempt to figure out what exactly has gone wrong. Here are a few common reasons for the unfortunate turn of events:
- The lock could be broken, chipped, or somehow harmed
- The key you’re trying to use might be scratched, broken, or stuck
- The inside of the lock might be blocked from dirt due to not cleaning it regularly
- The lock could be stuck due to build up of rust
What can you do in this situation?
It may seem hopeless until a locksmith arrives, but you can try and do a few things to maybe help out the process:
- First of all, call a trusted locksmith who can come quickly and solve the matter without harming your door or key any further
- If you are able to, try and look on the other side of the door, or ask someone to look for you, and see if there’s something preventing the lock from turning
- Try and use a different key, in case the one you’re using right now is somehow harmed – but do not force it
- If the weather is worsening or you feel unsafe, try to find shelter in the neighbors’ home, or a nearby friendly place until the locksmith gets to your house.
How to prevent this kind of issue going forward
Hurray, the locksmith solved the issue and you are now safe inside your house, but that was a very unpleasant experience. How can you prevent it from happening again? What can you do to maintain your locking system?
- Refrain from using extra force when turning your key in handling the lock
- Clean all the locks in your house regularly with the appropriate tools
- Oil the locks (ask your locksmith what kind of oil would be best for your type of lock) on a regular basis to prevent rust
- Have a professional locksmith come and look over the locks regularly, as they can point out any issues and catch them before they become a bigger problem and cost you time, money, and nerves.
In summary
Getting locked out of your home is a headache. It will ruin your routine, make you late, put stress on you and your family, and might result in a very unpleasant waiting time as you sit by the locked door and wait for professional help. Thankfully, there are fantastic locksmith services available 24/7 such as Locksmith for NYC, who are ready to come down and tackle the issue, no matter the time. It’s important to create a routine for maintaining the locking systems in your home to prevent future incidents – but it’s always good to know someone got your back.
