Many people get locked out of their homes for a variety of reasons. Often, homeowners are in a hurry, and mistakes happen. You might instantly recognize you left the keys inside after locking the door, or you might be oblivious until later when you return. These types of situations occur all the time because people live busy lives on the run.
All of a sudden, you find yourself stuck, trapped, unable to get into your own home. Lockouts even occur when homeowners have keys on their person. Sometimes keys stop working or get stuck. Dirt and debris can clog outdoor locks. If you have problems with older locks, it might be time to change them out.
At Locksmith Toronto, we make it our priority to dispatch help to your location in a jiffy. Our experienced locksmiths are able to work with all lock types. Call us, and we will be there in minutes to unlock your home. We also want to help homeowners avoid these types of situations.
Tips To Prevent Lockouts
Keyless Entry
Keyless entry doorknobs are one of the ways homeowners can help prevent lockout situations from happening. While there is still a chance for a house lockout situation to occur, the risk is drastically reduced with keyless entry doorknobs.
It is very frustrating leaving your home only to come back and discover you are locked out. What if you have groceries to put away? With a keyless entry doorknob, you lock the house while you are outside. This means you need the key to even activate the deadbolt. Talk about saving you from future headaches.
In terms of security, two locks are going to provide more protection than one. The deadbolt is more secure than a traditional lock. The opportunity in front of you can also help you address any safety and security concerns.
You can always add a second deadbolt to go right along with your new keyless entry doorknob. Not only would you be preventing a future lockout, but you would have better protection against intruders.
Always make sure that your key is in a safe place. It is common practice to hide a key outdoors; however, you have to be careful with the selection of your hiding place. You do not want a burglar identifying where the key is located. This gives an intruder easy access to your home. Burglars make it their job to find hiding spots. They find that key, and you are in trouble.
Lockbox
It is best to use a lockbox to hide your key. All occupants of your home should know the combination of the lockbox. This would guarantee everyone always has access to a key and ensures no one gets locked out. Do be sure to hide the lockbox so that it is not plainly visible. This helps keep the hidden key more safe and secure.
You can also simply provide a key to a trusted neighbor or a friend that lives near you. This helps guarantee that you are able to get in your home during a lockout situation. You might still end up in a situation where the person is unavailable, but you will still have access to a key if you are locked out of your home.
You also want to be sure that you know this person really well. Providing a key to your neighbor also helps you during other types of situations, like if you ever need someone to do something at the house when you are miles away. While leaving a key with a friend or neighbor is a great option, it is not, however, a foolproof plan. There is still a chance you could get locked out, and your friend or neighbor might be somewhere else and unavailable.
Many people also place spare keys inside their vehicles. People sometimes suggest separating your car keys from your house keys; however, you can simply just place a spare key in your vehicle. While you are at it, why not keep a spare car key inside your home? That can help you with car lockout situations, too. This provides you with the opportunity of never being locked out of your home and never being locked out of your vehicle. You just have to find a good place to hide those keys.
Smart Lock
Of course, if a person were to break into your vehicle, the burglar could possibly find the key and gain entry to your home. Keys need to be hidden well and not be in places that burglars would normally check. Be smart when hiding those keys.
The absolute best solution is to opt for smart locks. Homeowners do not always go this route because the switch is a little on the expensive side. If you lose your keys often, however, smart locks solve the problem. There are quite a few different types of smart locks available, too, including fingerprint locks and locks featuring keypads. Transitioning to smart locks for your home is certainly a project you might want to consider in the near future. You will never have to worry about a house key again. There are even eye-scanning locks available these days.
Smart locks provide extra layers of protection against intruders, too. While smart locks do require an investment, you wouldn’t be calling a locksmith during lockout situations. Is it time to ensure a lockout never happens again?
In some ways, smart locks could eventually save you money. If you do opt for smart locks, you need to learn about their batteries. You are going to need a key to gain entry if the smart lock’s battery is dead. That said, it is always best to choose a smart lock that signals you when batteries are low on power. Otherwise, you could be stuck outside without a key once again.
Extra Key
It is always best to have a key on your person or in an accessible place, even with smart locks. Smart locks, however, represent an opportunity to have access to your home via keyless entry. This simplifies the process, but you just have to stay on top of those batteries. Smart locks require a transition, but you will get used to them if you decide to have them installed within your home.
If you want to discuss options regarding smart locks, we are happy to help. Give us a call at Locksmith Toronto, and we will fill in the blanks. We can provide you with a no-obligation quote for smart locks.