The most common reason to call a locksmith is because of a lockout from your car, home, or place of business. The word, “Lockout” sounds quite intimidating, especially when it is happening to you. Regardless of whether you are.
- stranded alongside your vehicle because you’ve lost your keys, locked them inside, or broken off a key in the ignition or car door;
- you are trying to gain access to your place of work;
- or you are standing outside of your house without a key,
a lockout never seems to happen at a convenient or appropriate time. Maybe it’s not one of the most common scenarios of a lockout that you have found yourself in. Maybe you are locked out of your storage unit or have forgotten the combination to your safe.
Automotive Lockout Scenario
You can’t find your keys, or you locked your keys inside the car. Worse yet, your key broke off inside the door lock or ignition, or your keys are locked inside the car with the engine running. Maybe you even shut the door leaving behind a small child or pet. These are all emergency lockout situations. In a panic, you will probably begin to try to attempt to enter the vehicle on your own. Not only does this more often than not do nothing more than waste time, you also take the risk of damaging your vehicle with repairs needed that your insurance will not cover, adding to your expense while minutes tick away. A better option is to first call a qualified locksmith who will show up in no time and get you back inside your vehicle, retract your key if necessary, and make you a duplicate key on the spot without leaving any damage to your car.
Residential Home Lockout Scenario
Your house keys are lost, or your door shut behind you leaving your keys locked inside. Regardless of the reason, you are now stranded outside your front door at your own home. Don’t worry! This is a very common situation that locksmiths handle on a daily basis. They understand your urgency to get back inside, to find your lost key, install a new lock, or re-key an existing one to ensure you are the only one who has access to the key that opens your home. Before you panic and attempt to break into your own house or pick a lock, calm down long enough to think straight and contact a nearby locksmith who will come to you and remedy your situation in a hurry.
Commercial Property Business or Office Lockout Scenario
You have lost your master key or electronic access card that allows you entry to work. Perhaps, the lock is worn and isn’t working properly, leaving you locked out. It doesn’t matter what the reason, the fact is that now you are trying to get inside your place of employment to work and are locked out. If your office has an on-call commercial locksmith, this is the one to call. If not, you will need the fast and reliable services of a commercial locksmith who will quickly get you inside. When the locksmith arrives, you will need to show proof of identification.
Preventing a Lockout from Happening
Of course, the best method of handling a lockout is preventing it from occurring in the first place or being prepared just in case. Some steps to take include:
- Leave a spare key with a trusted neighbor, friend, or relative
- Hide a spare key in a location that is out of the sight of passersby and not in a typical “under-the-door-mat” obvious location.
- Keep a spare key in your wallet
- Avoid damaged, worn locks by keeping them properly maintained
While your first reaction will probably be panic and frustration, the best thing to do when you find yourself in the middle of a lockout is to call for help from a trustworthy mobile locksmith, skilled and ready to show up at your location in no time at all.