Locked Out: What to Do When You Lose Your House Keys

Have you recently misplaced your house keys and worried that someone else has them in their possession? Was that the only pair of house keys that you had?

If so, then you need to learn about what to do when you become locked out of your house. This will help you ensure that you can find a different way of getting inside the house efficiently.

Many people’s next move is to break into their own homes, but there are other easier, safer methods.

See below for an in-depth on what to do when you’ve lost your house keys and need to get inside your house.

1. Remain Calm

Whenever you initially realize that you’ve misplaced your house keys, it’s easy to feel an overwhelming sense of worry. That gets amplified when you’ve been locked out of your house without any other set of keys to fall back on.

First things first, try to keep calm. Take deep breaths and don’t allow yourself to worry about where the keys are currently.

Some people fear that their keys are now in someone else’s possession, but that will be solved in just a few steps.

Realize the situation. If you’re locked out of your house without any other keys, you’ll have to wait for a locksmith to arrive (more on that in a moment). You could use this time to knock out some errands and keep your mind off of them.

If you’re still inside the house but can’t find your keys, then do not leave the property. You’ll stay inside until your locksmith comes to help you out.

This will all be resolved in a matter of a few hours, just hang tight. For future reference, you’ll want to keep a spare key in a safe, but easily obtainable area to avoid this emergency in the future.

2. Contact a Locksmith Right Away

When you lose your house keys, it might seem as if all hope is lost. You can’t figure out where they are and you may have no other way inside your house.

Most people’s knee-jerk reaction is to try and climb through a window or break in with another method. We recommend that you hire a locksmith instead.

Locksmiths can benefit you in several ways, such as:

• Offering a quick response time to assist you
• Always being available when you need them, which is usually at the most inconvenient times
• Emergency service; having the ability to help you at any time
• Professional communication to help you understand their process
• Transportable business to assist you with an on-site solution

You might be wondering, “But what should I look for in a locksmith near me?”

First, look for a variety of services. For example, the company in the link above provides locksmith services, replacement keys/key fobs, buying and selling safes, alarm systems, and more.

True locksmiths these days are versatile. They won’t just help you get back into your home, they help you bump up your security and give you more peace of mind.

3. Inspect Your Home (Once You Get Inside)

If you’ve misplaced your house keys, then there is a fine line between being paranoid and careless.

It’s pointless to worry about whether your keys wound up in the wrong hands, but you should never assume that your lost keys won’t amount to any danger. Lost keys are a legitimate security threat.

For that reason, be sure to inspect your property thoroughly once your locksmith gets you back inside the house.

Check to see if any items were misplaced or stolen. Make sure that all of your valuables are still in their usual spot. If anything seems out of place, you should call the police immediately.

If everything seems to be in order, then take the time to look around your house for your misplaced keys. You can avoid the next step if your keys wind up to be under the sofa cushion, in your at-home office, etc.

4. Change the Locks on Your Home

If you tried looking for your keys without any luck, then it’s time to switch out the locks on your home.

While this might seem drastic, it’s the only way to ensure that your home remains safe. If someone else has your keys, they can use them to break in.

Thankfully, you can eliminate that risk when you switch out your locks. The same locksmith that helped you get back inside can help you trade out all the locks on the entry points to your house.

5. Duplicate Your Keys

Whether you switched out your locks for new ones or ended up finding the original set of keys in a harmless spot, be sure to duplicate your keys.

Like we mentioned before, a duplicate should be stored in a safe yet accessible location to prevent a lockout in the future. Such places include:

• Giving a spare key to a trusted relative that lives nearby
• Investing in a secret key storage item (such as a hollowed-out rock or book)
• Small lockbox underneath your front or back porch
• Taped under the seat of your everyday car (don’t forget to remove it if you ever sell the car)

Locked Out: Take the Proper Steps

Now that you have seen an in-depth guide on what to do when you become locked out of your house, be sure to use this information wisely.

Take the time to browse our website for more articles on lost keys, residential locksmith, and other topics that you will find helpful.