Getting locked out of your home in North Las Vegas or the general Las Vegas area can be quite stressful. It can also be quite costly. That’s why we want to share our expert knowledge to help you prevent an emergency lockout and teach you effective solutions to overcome emergency lockout situations, should you face one in the future.
Why Do People Get Locked Out?
Nobody really expects to be locked out of their own home, but it does happen. And, usually, it happens when you least expect it.
One day, you may be on your way back from work. You’re standing at your doorway, ready to go in and relax, only to realize that your keys are nowhere to be found. Suddenly, you’re left outside of your house with no way to get in.
In order to prepare for such events, you need to get to the root cause of how this happens. Here are five of the most common reasons that people end up locked out.
Lost House Keys
You know you brought your keys when leaving your house, but somehow they’re not with you anymore when you get home. Chances are, you’ve lost them along the way. Maybe, as you were fishing your wallet out of your pocket, your house keys slipped out without you noticing them. Or, you set them down somewhere and forget to pick them up again. Because of their size and weight, they’re easily overlooked.
Leaving the Keys Inside
Another reason is that you may have unknowingly left your house keys inside. Perhaps you were in a hurry and forgot to do the mandatory “phone, wallet, and keys” check or you thought you brought them with you but you brought a different key instead. By the time you realize that you’ve left your keys inside, it’s probably too late to do anything about it.
Broken or Damaged Keys
What if you do have your key with you, but it doesn’t work? In such cases, there’s a high possibility that the key that you have is either broken or damaged.
Much like everything else, keys wear and tear over time. They get rusty and brittle, and their ridges get deformed. When this happens, you’ll have a hard time making them work. Sometimes, they’ll give you false hope. Your keys might slide through the notches of your door lock smoothly but won’t turn. When this happens, don’t force it. If you do, you may end up breaking your keys in half and leaving the crucial part of your keys stuck inside your lock. You’ll not only be left locked out but also have a major problem with your overall home security.
Door Jambs
As evidenced by the damaged house keys, it’s clear to see that they are susceptible to outside forces, whether it be time, weather, or overall environment. The same holds true for your doors and locks.
Due to changing temperatures and extreme moisture, your door frames can either contract or expand, causing them to be stuck. In the same way, locks can also get jammed as a result of constant wear or rust. In such cases, it can be difficult to find a way to get inside without breaking down your door completely.
Stolen Keys
Perhaps one of the worst-case scenarios you can face with a lockout is having your keys stolen. Not only will you not have access to your home, but other people — perhaps dangerous people — may have access to it, thereby posing a threat to your safety.
What Are Effective Ways To Avoid Lockouts in the Las Vegas Area?
It goes without saying that getting locked out of your home is extremely dangerous, especially if you live in a city with high activity like Las Vegas.
Las Vegas is no stranger to violent crimes like robbery, assault, and break-ins. So, when you get locked out of your house at any time of day (or night), you put yourself in a very vulnerable position. To avoid this, you need to take extra precautions to ensure that your locks are properly working and you don’t fall victim to any lockout situations.
Below are some of the best preventive strategies you can employ to protect yourself from such instances.
Before Leaving Your House, Always Double-Check
You may think that you have your keys safely stored in your bag or wallet, only to realize that you’ve left them at home once you’re already out of the house. Avoid making this mistake by making it a habit to double-check your belongings.
This may take a while before it becomes a habit, but as long as you remind yourself constantly, this will be a task that will come naturally to you.
Expert Advice: We know how some people leave their keys lying around in random places around the house. Because of this, they tend to misplace them and get stressed over it. To avoid this, assign a consistent area in your house where keys can easily be found. You can hang them on a hanger by the front door or inside a bowl by your entry hall. By having a specific spot for your keys, you won’t have a hard time finding them when you need them most. Plus, it will make it more convenient to check if you’ve brought your keys or not.
Hide a Spare Key in a Safe Place
You might think that one pair of keys is enough to get you by, but as mentioned before, accidents do happen. So, we always recommend homeowners keep a spare key handy.
This might be the oldest trick in the book, but one of the best ways to prevent getting locked out is to hide a spare key in a safe place. That is to say, do away with the cliche, and don’t hide your keys under the mat. Instead, keep the spare key in a lockbox with a secure code so you can get your hands on it in case of emergencies.
Alternatively, you can find other safe and secure hiding spots around your property. Just make sure that it’s not too obvious.
Give an Extra Key to Someone You Completely Trust
If you are not confident in leaving your spare keys lying around your property, even if they’re not in plain sight, a great alternative is to hand them to someone you trust. Preferably, someone that doesn’t live too far away. They could be your neighbor, a close relative, or a friend. Whoever you choose can keep your keys safely. Plus, they can be of help in case you encounter a problem with your locks.
In case you’re on vacation, they can also do occasional check-ins to ensure that everything is in tip-top shape.
Properly Maintain Your Lock and Keys
As we said earlier, one of the common reasons people get locked out of their homes is because they have damaged locks and keys. One way to prevent this is to properly maintain your security system. Here’s how you do it.
STEP 1: Clear the dust away. Dirt and dust will naturally seep into the crevices of your lock, which may cause significant issues with the functionality of your locks. For instance, they may clog the keyhole and jam the lock mechanism, or they can build up over time and make your locks rusty. That’s why cleaning the dust is a great way to maintain your security system.
Simply use canned air and spray the opening. Avoid pointing the tool directly at the lock as it may release moisture inside your system. If moisture builds up, this may lead to rust and give rise to other problems.
STEP 2: Lubricate the lock. Over time, the hinges of your locks may become rusty and brittle. By lubricating them regularly with a silicon or graphite-based lubricant, you can preserve the smooth mechanism of your locks.
STEP 3: Work the key in. To ensure that the lubricant coated every pin and ridge, use your key to work it in. Insert it in and out until you’re satisfied with the coating. To test if it works as smoothly as possible, you can also turn it a couple of times. Afterward, wipe away the excess lubricant and your lock will feel as good as new.
Perform these steps at least once a year to optimize the performance of your locks and extend their lifespan. This will minimize your chances of getting locked out in Las Vegas due to a poor security system.
Replace Your Bad Locks With High-Security Locks
If your locks have completely deteriorated, it might be high time to upgrade them to a better and more secure alternative. In fact, it’s one of the best practices to replace them once every seven years. Doing so ensures that you always have a lock that’s working in good condition. Plus, it makes it more difficult for intruders to break into your home.
Upgrade to Smart High-Security Locks
Some people have been so used to the traditional lock and key method that they stick with it in the long run. But, if you want to enhance your security and avoid getting locked out due to losing your keys, leaving them inside, or having them stolen, then upgrading to a smart system is an excellent solution.
Due to innovation and advanced technology, there are so many smart lock products you can find on the market. Some smart locks consist of Wi-Fi connections, fingerprint technology, and facial recognition to level up your security and minimize any threats to your safety.
Most of these locks are keyless, so you don’t have to worry about bringing your keys every time you leave the house. All you need to do is set a unique code and use it to either lock or unlock your home. Not only does this technology help you create a safe environment but it also offers more convenience.
What Do You Do When You Get Locked Out?
Despite these preventive measures, there may still be a chance that you get locked out. Accidents do happen, and the first thing you need to do when this happens is to keep calm and not panic.
In this section, we’re sharing effective tips to help you overcome this challenge in the safest way possible. So, take a look at some of the approaches you can take when you’re locked out.
Ask for Help
If you live in a house with a roommate, partner, or friend, try to give them a call to let you in. If not, you can reach out to your landlord. Usually, they have a copy of your house keys. So, maybe they can help you unlock the door when you’re left stranded outside.
If you have a unit in an apartment complex, you can drop by the manager’s office and request access to your place. Just make sure to bring an identification card with you for verification purposes.
Take note: Some complexes charge their tenants lockout fees, so keep cash on hand in case they ask you for payment.
Search for Unlocked Doors or Windows
Let us preface this by saying that you should never leave any doors or windows open when you leave your home. This may invite intruders to your property. But, in some cases, it may prove to be helpful — especially if you lock yourself out.
Forgetting to lock a window or a back door can help you gain access to your house without resorting to more extreme methods. However, you should always be careful when attempting to enter your house through these openings.
Firstly, observe your windows and doors. If they are deemed safe (for instance, they’re not too high or they’re in a secure position), then you can proceed with this plan. If not, don’t attempt it. It can pose a risk to your health.
Never Manipulate Your Locks
When you get locked out, your initial thought may be to play around with your locks to see if they’ll budge. Perhaps you may even use some techniques you find in movies, like lock picking or using a card, but if you’ve never had experience with this method before, we don’t encourage you to do it.
Rather than helping you solve a tricky problem, doing this may lead to costly damages. If you’ve never done this before, you may accidentally break your cards in half or get your bobby pins stuck in the keyhole, which will inevitably only add to your concerns.
If All Else Fails, Call an Emergency Locksmith for Houses
Instead of trying to solve the issue on your own, we recommend that you get professional locksmith services in North Las Vegas or around Las Vegas, NV.
A residential locksmith can help you gain access to your home in the safest and most secure way possible. They have the expert knowledge, experience, and tools to get you out of a sticky situation without resorting to damaging your front door.
Since you’re opening your door to a potential stranger, you need to find a residential locksmith that you 100% trust. For this, you’ll need to do a background check on your prospective local companies and narrow down your search to the best Las Vegas Locksmith company.
To speed up the process, you can also reach out to friends, families, peers, and co-workers to ask for recommendations. Since they’ve had previous experiences with their proposed residential locksmiths, you can rest assured that you will find a locally-owned company that you can trust.
While your main goal is to find residential locksmiths that offer emergency lockout services in Las Vegas, NV, it also helps to find local companies that can assist you in a wide range of locksmith services, like key duplication, lock change, new key production, and lock installation.
Benefits of Hiring an Emergency Locksmith Service in Las Vegas, NV
Rather than trying to solve the house lockout issue all on your own, you can gain more advantages when you hire locally-owned locksmith services to help you out. If you want to learn more, check out the list below and see how you can benefit from a locksmith team.
Speedy Response Time
When faced with an emergency like a lockout, you need to find solutions immediately. That’s where experienced Las Vegas locksmith services come into play.
Residential locksmith services in Las Vegas are trained to respond to emergency situations as fast as possible. They can give you quick resolutions to help you gain access to the safety of your home.
Licensed and Insured
The most reliable emergency locksmith companies are licensed and insured. While these experts are completely skilled in the art of locksmithing, they can still encounter accidents that may cause damage to your home. When this happens, you don’t need to worry because their insurance can cover any losses incurred. As such, you won’t need to shell out extra money to have your locks, doors, or house keys fixed.
Modern Solutions
Besides being insured, excellent locally-owned locksmith companies also offer modern solutions to boost efficiency and security. With the help of technological advancements, they can use specific tools to unlock your home more effortlessly. Because of this, you won’t need to wait a long time before you can get inside your house.
Time-Saver
If you are planning to find ways on how to unlock your front door on your own, you may end up doing the trial and error method, which is a time-consuming task. So, to avoid wasting time, you need to hire locksmith services. They have the training to perform tasks as swiftly as possible.
Qualified Technicians
When it comes to emergencies, your safety should always be the number one priority. By having an expert locksmith team by your side, you can find the solution to any situation you’re faced with. The company’s team of technicians is trained to assess and handle any job, whether it be a simple repair, replacement, or more complicated lock installation. That being said, an experienced team of locksmiths can help you solve any and all locksmith-related issues.
Expert Security Advice
After completing their job, they can also give you expert advice on how to enhance your security in the future. From lock and key maintenance to home security upgrades, your locksmith can impart substantial knowledge to help you feel safer in your home. So, if you have any questions you want to ask them, don’t hesitate to do so.
24/7 Emergency Services From Silver Eagle Locksmith
One of the most reliable and trustworthy locksmith agencies in Las Vegas is Silver Eagle Locksmith. We have been in the industry for over 10 years and have therefore gained valuable experience and reputation in the field.
We are also fully licensed and insured. In addition, all our locksmiths are qualified and certified by the Metro Police Department to execute locksmithing activities in Clark County, North Las Vegas, Las Vegas City, and the City of Henderson.
We offer a comprehensive list of services ranging from emergency lockouts and key replacements to residential and commercial locksmith services.
We know that every case is unique. That’s why we offer specialized services to all our clients. After doing our initial inspection, we can tailor every task to cater to your needs. In doing so, we can guarantee the effectiveness of our services.
Here at Silver Eagle, we are committed to giving you the best services possible to enhance your security at home, your office, or your automobile.
With our 24/7 friendly service, you can call us at any time of the day or night, and our emergency locksmith will get to you as soon as possible. We believe in providing the highest quality protection for all of our clients so we work around the clock to accommodate all types of emergencies, whether it be house lockout, broken locks, access control, or misplaced keys.
If you require our commercial, auto, or residential locksmith Las Vegas services, don’t hesitate to contact us at (702) 539-9581 or head over to our website to learn more about how we can assist you.
