Getting locked out of your home can be an extremely frustrating experience. Not only will it be a hassle trying to get back in, but it will also cost you too. Luckily, there are several little things that you can do in order to help to prevent you from losing your keys or getting locked out of your own home. This article provides four simple tips that will hopefully help you to avoid be locked out in the future.
Key Box
A key box is a safe and secure box which can be used to store house keys outside of your property. These boxes will require a passcode in order to get into them. You can store a spare set of house and car keys in the box so that you will be able to access your home or car in the event of an emergency. Make sure that you position the key box somewhere hidden and safe within your garden, such as underneath some foliage or behind an outbuilding somewhere that is hidden from eyesight. To make it even more secure you can permanently fix it to a stable item too. Key boxes are great if you live in a remote area which is away from other houses. You can purchase them from some DIY stores or from specialist online retailers.
Spare Key With the Neighbours
Another option is to have key cut and to leave a spare set of keys with the neighbours. You should only ever do this if you really know and trust your neighbours. When you have the key cut you should always make sure that it works correctly before giving it to your neighbours, as on rare occasions the key may not be cut properly which can land you in trouble. While this is a safe option, it still may be a problem if your neighbour is at work or on vacation when you happen to lose your keys. You may want to combine this option with a key box too.
Technology and Apps
There are now a number of clever apps which allow you to safely store a copy of your key. You can scan a picture of your key chain and then keep the images safe with a secure password. Should you happen to lose your key, you will be able to access the scanned images and an experienced locksmith will be able to make a copy of them for you. One popular app is called KeyMe, and it is available to purchase on the iTunes App store.
Key Locator
You can avoid spending hours searching for your lost key by attaching a lost key locator onto your keyring. There are several different types of key locators available. One type will allow you to press a remote button which will then link to the key and make a beeping noise so you can locate it. Another type uses WiFi to locate the missing key. These key locators can be a great investment, and they may save you the need of having to call out a locksmith to get you into your home.
Emergency!
It is always worth storing the number of a local locksmith into your phone. This means that you will be able to call them in the event of an emergency. Many locksmiths will offer a fast response service, and they will have the tools and expertise to get you into your home in no time.
Follow the above tips and you will be sure to reduce the chances of you getting locked out of your home in the future. Good luck.