Jaime HayIt is not often that one gets locked out of their house, having forgotten or broken their key. This can create a panic situation, especially if the weather outside is bad, at night, or if your child is alone.
However, one should remember to stay calm in such situations and think it through. Then, you can check if any other doors or windows are open. If you cannot find any entry, you can call in a 24-hour locksmith to help you.
A locksmith has expertise in locks, doors, windows, safes, and vehicles. They can repair, install, and help you maintain all the locks around the house. If stuck outside, you can call your locksmith to help open up the lock and even make new keys if you have damaged the old ones.
Roles Of A Locksmith
While it is generally assumed that a locksmith is a professional who is an expert at opening up locks without keys, modern-day locksmiths play various roles. They can help you unlock your house in the following ways:
1. Key Cutting Or Duplicating
You can hire a locksmith to cut out spare keys to different locks for doors and safes. They can also help you procure a spare key for your car. This is helpful if you break your key by accident, resulting in getting locked out of the house.
Key cutting is generally required if your key has gone through a lot of wear and tear, causing it to break inside the lock. The locksmith will first remove the snapped key from the lock, which can be a difficult task to do yourself. Then, they will produce a new key for you to use.
2. Lock Picking
Another, and the most common role, locksmiths play is lock picking. For example, you may have forgotten your keys inside the house or lost them, in which case you might not have access to your home.
A locksmith will efficiently open up the lock in no time, giving you a quick entry to your home. However, different locks require different techniques of lock picking.
Trained locksmiths know the different styles and mechanisms of locks and can easily recognize the model. Usually, picking a lock does not take more than 30 minutes.
The locksmith may try a few different techniques, such as displacing the driver pins or using a bump key but remember to let them do their job with patience to avoid any unnecessary damage.
3. Breaking Locks
If the lock cannot be fixed or making a new key will take time when you cannot wait, breaking the lock is the best way to go. However, while you can break the lock yourself, you can also cause a lot of damage to the door, door frame, or adjoining wall. They may do this by drilling the lock.
The locksmith can perform the same task without causing any damage. After the locksmith performs the job, you will only have to replace the lock, which will not be the case if you do it yourself.
4. Fixing Locks
Even your locks can malfunction due to wear and tear, causing you to get locked out of your home while you still have the key. If your lock is damaged due to prolonged use or forced entry, you can call your locksmith to help repair the lock.
Additionally, you can contact your locksmith if you have an electronic lock that requires a code to open, which you may forget on a particular day. Inform him of your electronic lock, and they will reset the code using their keypad.
5. Installing New Locks
In case you have lost your keys or if they are stolen, your home’s security is at risk. In such situations, you should ask your locksmith to install new locks. You can choose the same kind of lock or upgrade them for better security. This is also known as re-keying the house.
A locksmith will perform the job without damaging the door. They will also suggest the best lock regarding security, cost, and use. You can choose a smart or keyless lock.
Installing new locks is also helpful if you are moving into a new home, ensuring that no previous owners who may still be carrying a copy of the key have access to the house. This is also applicable for places built recently, in case any of the workers might have a duplicate key they used during the construction.
How To Choose A Locksmith
Since, in emergencies, you may not be able to make a well-informed choice, it is best to have a trusted locksmith’s contact in your number book. This is also useful when calling them for routine maintenance or advice on improving your home security.
Keep the following things in mind while hiring a locksmith:
1. Read Their Reviews
Read the different reviews their customers have left on the website. You can also ask around your neighborhood for their preferred locksmith, as word of mouth is more trustable than online reviews.
2. Ask For Qualifications And Certifications
Check whether your locksmith has the proper certifications and qualifications for his job. They should have a valid license and certification with associations such as the ALOA. Also, ask for the insurance they provide and check their IDs.
3. Ask For A Contract
Ask different locksmiths to give you a price for yearly maintenance and emergencies, and choose one that suits your budget.
4. See Their Location
The most crucial factor in choosing a locksmith is their location. You will want the expert to be in close proximity so that they can reach you quickly in case of emergencies and not have to wait for long.
Conclusion
A locksmith can help you enter your house if you are locked out because of a damaged, lost, or stolen key. There are various ways that the locksmith can use to give you access to the house.
They will assess the situation and determine whether picking or breaking the lock would work best. Hire a trusted locksmith close to you to help avoid unnecessary stress in such cases.
Tamara Douglas
Hugh Hay
