You head out the door in a hurry, thinking about what needs to get done. Suddenly, you remember that your keys are hanging by the door instead of being in your hand.
The door shuts. It is locked. Now you’re locked out and some times it can be dangerous.
With the cost of having a manager, supervisor, or professional locksmith unlock your door, these proactive tips can help you avoid an apartment lockout and its associated costs.
Easy Ways to Avoid Apartment Lockout
One of the old standby tips to avoid getting locked out is to leave a door or a window unlocked if they are accessible. That really isn’t a good idea. If you can break into your own apartment, there are bad guys who can do the same thing.
Here are some tips that really work.
1 Stash a key in a safe location. Give an extra key to a trusted family member, friend, or neighbor. Keep one inside of your smartphone case. If your electrical panel is outside your apartment, then store a key in there and lock the panel with a combination lock. Just be sure that you are authorized to access the area and aren’t violating any laws before stashing your key.
2 Keep a specific routine. A simple sign by your front door that says, “Don’t forget your keys!” can be enough to develop a habit that helps you avoid an apartment lockout.
3. Talk to your landlord about upgrading the locks. Master key systems can be useful, especially in Chicago’s apartment communities, for the routine care and maintenance of each building. There is a good chance that a master key is floating around and some landlords may permit you to use it without charge if you’ve locked your own keys in your apartment.
4. Get to know your local locksmith. At Panda Locksmith, our focus is on building customer relationships before you have a lockout emergency. When you know our expert locksmiths will be there in a certain time and provide professionalism every step of the way, it can ease a lot of personal stress. Whether it is us or your other preferred Chicago locksmith, put the number of your locksmith into your smartphone contacts.
Can I Pick My Own Apartment Lock?
There are some techniques you can try to unlock a door lock without a key or you could learn lock picking, but that could damage the lock. That damage could be enough cause for some landlords to initiate eviction procedures.
If you’re locked out of your apartment and a key isn’t available, then contact Panda Locksmith. We’ll be happy to let you back into your home.
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Spencer Montgomery
Good read. I like your suggestion to stash a key in a safe location. I guess I better have my keys duplicated right away. I tend to misplace my keys, and this will certainly help in avoiding apartment lockout.
Kayla
Thanks for these tips. I usually lock myself out at night, just like now. I am now looking up some locksmith to help me out.
Kylian Gibbs
Trading spare keys are one of the best tips to avoid lockout situation. I even suggest trading spare keys between you and your trusted neighbors or friends, so that you can help each other in the event that either of you is locked out.
Roger Middleton
I liked that you had mentioned that it can be important to know your local locksmith to make sure they’re someone you can trust. My wife and I have been having a few problems getting locked out and our landlord said he won’t be able to help us out anymore. We’ll have to start looking for a locksmith in the area that can help us with lockout service.
Jenna Hunter
I like what you said about how getting to know a local locksmith will mean less stress when you are locked out and know that you have someone to count on. My husband and I just moved to a new area, so I think it would be a good idea to get some referrals and get to know some of the locksmiths in the area, just in case. We will have to do our research and find one that we can get along with and who will provide fast and professional service.