It happens to everyone. You step out to grab the mail, the door swings shut behind you, and the keys are sitting on the kitchen counter.
Before you start calling around, take a breath. A lot of lockouts can be solved in a few minutes without anyone coming out. Here's what to try first, what to avoid, and what to do if you do need a locksmith.
First: is anyone or anything in danger?
If a child or a pet is locked inside alone, or something is on the stove or running inside the house, call 911. Emergency responders can get you in fast. Don't wait on a locksmith in that situation.
Quick things to try before you call anyone
1. Check every door and window you can reach safely
Walk the whole house: back door, side door, the door from the garage, sliding doors, ground-floor windows. People are surprised how often the back door is unlocked. Only try openings you can reach from the ground. Don't climb onto a roof or up to a second-story window.
2. Try the garage
If your garage has an outside keypad, a remote in your car, or a phone app (like myQ), you may be able to open the garage and walk in through the house door, as long as it isn't locked too.
3. Call whoever has a spare
A neighbor, a family member, a friend across town, a roommate, a house cleaner. Even if they're 30 minutes away, that's often faster and free.
4. Renting? Call your landlord or property manager
Most landlords and property management companies keep a key to every unit, and many have an after-hours line. Check your lease or their website. Some leases also say who you're allowed to hire for a lockout, so call them first before you call a locksmith.
5. Have a smart lock? Use the app or a code
If you have a keypad or smart lock, try your code, the phone app, or ask someone in the household to unlock it remotely. If the battery died, many smart locks still accept the physical backup key, so think about where that key is.
6. Check your car and your bag one more time
Seriously. Coat pockets, the cup holder, the bottom of a gym bag. It's worth 60 seconds before you pay for a call.
What not to do
Don't break a window. A replacement window costs far more than a lockout, and broken glass is how people get hurt.
Don't kick or shoulder the door. If it works, you've split the frame and now have a door that won't lock tonight.
Don't pry it with a screwdriver. It chews up the frame and weather stripping, and on a deadbolt it almost never works.
Don't take apart the lock from the outside. You'll likely damage it and still be locked out.
When it's time to call a locksmith
If none of that works, a locksmith is the way in. A good one gets you back inside without damaging the door in most cases. Here's how to make sure you're calling a real one.
How to avoid lockout scams
Lockout scams are common everywhere, including Sacramento. The usual pattern: an ad promises a very low "service call" price, then the person who shows up says the lock has to be drilled and hands you a bill several times higher.
Ask for the total price on the phone, not just the trip fee. A real locksmith can tell you what a standard lockout typically costs.
Ask for the company's legal name and address. Be careful with anyone who answers "locksmith service" and won't name the business.
Ask if they're licensed and insured.
Expect a marked vehicle and ID, and expect them to ask for your ID too. A good locksmith wants proof you live there before opening the door.
Be wary of "we have to drill it" right away. Most standard residential locks can be opened without drilling.
Get an itemized receipt before you pay.
Lost your keys, not just locked out?
If your keys are lost, stolen, or you can't account for them, getting in is only half the fix. Anyone who finds those keys may be able to figure out where you live. Rekey the lock so the old keys stop working. We can do it on the same visit: get you in, rekey the lock, and hand you new keys.
Make sure it never happens again
Go keyless. A keypad deadbolt or smart lock means you can't lock your keys inside, because the code is the key.
Leave a spare with someone you trust who lives nearby. Not under the mat, not in a fake rock.
Use a combination lockbox in a discreet spot if you don't have a nearby neighbor.
Get in the habit of locking with the key from the outside instead of pushing in the knob lock and pulling the door shut.
Locked out in Sacramento right now?
Call QuickTurn at (916) 573-9859. We're owned and operated in Midtown Sacramento, and we'll get you back in without damaging your door. If your keys are gone for good, we'll rekey the lock while we're there.
Want to make sure this is the last lockout? See the keyless smart locks we install.
