Whether it is your home, your vehicle, or your office, getting locked out is definitely not a fun event. It is stressful, time-consuming, and costly. If you are currently facing such an event, we completely sympathize with you. The best thing you could do right now is to call up a locksmith to come to the rescue.

Though if you haven't gotten locked out yet, but are starting to see some minor defaults with your door lock, then this is a safe sign that you need to start acting. If you have the right lock picking tools and the right preparation, then you will never be locked out. 

In this article, we have highlighted the top 5 ways you can carry out in order to prevent a lockout from occurring. Keep on reading to find out.. 

1. Carry a Spare Key

This is probably one of the more obvious and easiest ways you can ensure that you ALWAYS have an entrance to your home, vehicle, office, etc. Have a duplicate key made so that a friend or neighbor can keep it on hand for emergencies. You could also keep a spare key in your wallet or one of the compartments in your purse, so that you know you always have it on you. The crucial part to the spare key is to have it stored in a safe and secured place, so you do not face the risk of losing it. 

A great place you could store is under the dirt of a potted plant or maybe sewed into the wallet. Try to come up with creative ways to store your key, though be sure only YOU know where that hidden place is.

2. Carry Lock Picks

Carrying lock picks could be very handy, especially during lock-out scenarios. If you know how to pick locks, it would be beneficial to carry around a lock pick set. The reason why you must know what you are doing when it comes to lock picking is due to the fact that it is quite a meticulous job. If you end up picking a lock the wrong way, you could be causing more harm than good to the lock, resulting in much more costlier consequences than planned. 

Only ever pick the lock when you are certain that the person giving you permission owns the property. Also be aware that there could be locks that might be beyond your ability to pick.

3. Replace Faulty Locks

If your locks are starting to show signs of wear and tear, then this is an indication that the lock should be replaced. Having locks that don’t work well can cause many problems, with the most obvious being locks that do not open with the right key. Attempting to unlock a faulty lock may stress the key over time, eventually causing it to break if the metal in the key is stressed enough. 

When a key breaks in a lock, a spare key, unfortunately, won’t do so much. At this point, your only solution is to call a trustworthy locksmith to come and remove the broken key from the lock. This is the worst case scenario. However, by becoming aware of faulty locks and acting quickly to fix them, then you will be able to prevent such severe events from occurring.

4. Use a Credit Card

You may be chucking with this one, but you can be rest assured that your beloved plastic card can come in very handy during a lock-out. We advise that you use a laminated card, such as an expired gift card, as it will most likely be bent out of shape after use. First, you will have the find out which direction your bolt is facing. If it is facing the right direction, then place the card in the gap between the jam above the bolt. Then, slide it down between the bolt and the strike plate. Your lock should be open now.

The wonderful thing with this method is that it safely preserves all the parts of your lock without causing any damage. Though similar to the lock picking method, it is also a job that requires much matriculation. You do not want to be pushing too hard with the card, as you will cause some of the internal lock parts to get ruined. 

5. Call a Locksmith

If the situation is too complex for your abilities, or you have depleted all of your options, then this is an indication that you should probably call an expert locksmith. This is probably the smartest move you could do in any lock crisis. Having an expert professional to take a closer look at your lock faults may probably be the best thing you could do. The locksmith will carefully inspect the lock and its internal parts and will give you an accurate diagnosis and treatment (if needed). 

Having a trustworthy locksmith at speed dial is pretty essential. You should find your locksmith before you need one, this way you don't get stuck debating between the search results of “locksmith near me”. Do the research as soon as you are starting to see even the minor faults with your lock. Even though it isn't severe enough for treatment, it is an indication that you will probably need a locksmith one day. 

Conclusion

There should be at least one method that you can use from the list above if you ever lose/misplace your keys. But as the saying goes, it is better to be safe than sorry. The best thing you could do to ensure that you don't even face lock-outs or any lock crisis scenario, is by taking care of your lock. This includes having it inspected once in a while or even repaired/replaced by a locksmith expert when needed. 

If you happen to live in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas, then you're in great luck. Zig Zag Locksmith has been repairing commercial and residential locks for almost a decade now. We believe in fast, friendly service and reasonable pricing. Call us at (424) 203-6668 to receive a free consultation!