Picture the scene. You’ve just popped out to the bins. The bin bag you’re carrying is very heavy, so you didn’t have enough hands to grab your keys. And anyway, it’s only a few steps from your front door. You’ve just dropped the bag into the bin when there’s a gust of wind and a SLAM. Now you’re on your doorstep in your slippers, locked out. Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us!
Getting locked out is frustrating, but at times it can be dangerous-especially if you have children in the home alone. As locksmiths our most common call out is for people who have locked themselves out of their homes. so we have a few tips to help you avoid it
Train Yourself
The single best way to avoid getting locked out is to train yourself to always check for your keys before you walk out of the door. This means consciously checking and confining you have them whenever you leave, setting reminders and leaving yourself notes. Whatever system you need to make you do that check. It takes a minimum of three weeks to create a habit, so you will need to put the effort in to see the results. It feels tough at first, but it’s worth it when you always leave with keys in hand.
Have Spares, And Share Them
Having just one or two house keys is almost inviting you to lock yourself out. That’s why we always recovered you have some spare copies made. If you only have one there are too many opportunities for something to happen to it. so make some copies and give them to trusted family members, friends or neighbours. This little safety net means that if you do ever lock yourself out, you can save yourself the expense of a locksmith and phone-a-friend instead. Just make sure you retrieve these keys if your relationship with these people changes -it could become a safety issue.
Keep A Spare Outside The Home
If you don’t want to give out copies of your house keys, or have no one close you trust, you can keep a spare in your purse or in your car. This gives you somewhere close and secure to retrieve it from if you need it. If you’re going to store a spare key in your car, avoid putting it in the glove box, sun visor or magnetically attaching it to the bumper. The glove box and sun visor are obvious hiding spots and the first place burglars would look, and it’s too easy for your key to get lost or damaged if it’s attached to the bumper. Install
A Lockbox
Gone are the days when you could just leave a spare key under the doormat or a fake rock. They’re the first place burglars look for easy access and can invalidate your home insurance policy. Instead, install a lock box outside your property that requires a combination code to get into. Make sure all the people living in your house know the code, and you’re good to go. There are a lot of different types of lockboxes on the market, so if you aren’t sure what you need just give us a call for some free advice.
Go Keyless
If you want to be super high-tech, you can opt to install a keyless entry system in your home. These smart locks can either use a combination code or a fingerprint and as long as you buy a high-quality look you will be fine. This is the ultimate option for people who are always locking themselves out-remove the keys and you’ll never have to worry about forgetting them again!
Remember, if you do find yourself stuck outside in your socks, you can always call your friendly neighbourhood locksmith. We are always on hand to come to your property and get you back inside, without damaging your locker and needing to change the locks. All you need to do is call!