Locking yourself out of your home can be incredibly frustrating, especially if you don’t have a backup key readily available. Add in inclement weather and you’re probably ready to kick yourself for making such an easily avoidable mistake. But, it’s ok! If you plan ahead, the next time you lock yourself out may not be such a dire situation. Here are a few tips to consider before calling a locksmith:

Use a Buddy System

Got a good friend in the building? A trusted coworker or family member in the area? The buddy key system is a classic way to keep you from being left out in the cold. Trading keys with someone you’re comfortable with (and who would come bail you out when you’re in a jam) is the most basic way to keep a set of keys on the ready.

Check for Open Windows

If you live in a ground level home, take your chances and cross your fingers that you’ve left a window unlocked. You may feel a little like a cat burglar, but it’s better to crawl through a window than be stuck outside all day. Sliding doors are good for this as well. If it’s a little loose, you could shimmy it open. Have a doggy door you can squeeze through? Give that a go!

It’s important to note that if any of these tricks work, we’re glad you’re back in your home, but you have a home security issue! Your next step in this situation is to make your home more secure  because if you can get in, your home will pose no problems for professional burglars.

Call Your Landlord

Living in an apartment building could be advantageous in this predicament. Chances are, your landlord or management staff will have a skeleton key for all the units in the building. They may require you to show your ID before allowing you into your apartment, so hopefully you didn’t lock your wallet in the house too!

Call a Locksmith

If you don’t have a buddy system, can’t break into your own place without damaging anything, and don’t have a property manager you’re going to need to call a locksmith that you can trust. But, don’t fret! This is a great opportunity to do a couple of things.

After losing your keys, that means that they’re out there in the city for anyone to find. In this case, you’ll need to have your home rekeyed to prevent just anyone from walking in unannounced. Also, think about upgrading your home with a keyless entry system using a phone operated lock . Let’s face it, you may be careless with your keys but we’re willing to bet you’ve got your smartphone glued to your person at all times. Installing a phone operated lock could eliminate your need for a traditional key altogether.

Locked out of your apartment or home? We can help—get a free quote for getting back into your house. 

Modern technology has made it possible to do pretty much anything from our phones. We can check our bank statements, video chat with people across the globe or even adjust our home thermostats from the office. The advent of this impressive technology has made our lives easier and made everyday activities just a little more luxurious. 

If you’ve already adopted new ways to remotely manage your life, why not take it to the next level and bring your home security into the palm of your hand? Smart locks operated locks by your phone or other device are the wave of the future. What is a phone operated lock? Here’s what you need to know. 

What is a Smart Phone Operated Lock? 

A smart lock is a lock that is operated on your phone and also called a phone operated lock. These locks function exactly like their name—the locking mechanism can be controlled by your phone or through a web application.

Depending on the model you get, you may be able to keep your existing locks and simply have your locksmith install a smart device over it. Once the device is installed, you simply connect to it from your phone via Bluetooth or WiFi and sync them together. 

Features of Smart Phone Operated Locks

There’s a wide variety of phone operated locks available on the market today and each have some pretty impressive features. Here’s a list of the things that smart phone operated locks can do. 

Automatic Entry

If you’ve got your phone on you and the phone lock device you’ve chosen includes this feature, you should be able walk right through your front door without skipping a beat. The device will recognize your phone as soon as you’re close enough and automatically unlock itself welcoming you home with open arms.

Security Snapshots

Some systems give you the option to take a quick photo of whoever is accessing the entrance using their phone. This is a great way to monitor the comings and goings of people at your home or office, and a helpful way to monitor employee theft.  

Remote Control via Bluetooth or WiFi

This feature is particularly handy if your kid forgets their keys one day and you’re stuck out and about and get locked out of your home or business. Phone operated locks have the ability to remotely unlock doors from anywhere and depending on your system, you can also use Bluetooth or WiFi to lock and unlock your doors. 

Notifications

Another feature of remote or phone operated door locks is that you’re able to set notifications on the door. Notifications will let you know anytime a smart lock has been activated by yourself or someone else. This is a great way to keep tabs on who is going in and out of your home or business.  

Regulate Access

Some of the more intelligent phone operated lock models all you to dole out as many “keys” as you’d like. What’s more is they’ll even allow you to put a time limit on how long that key will be granted access so that you can make your home or business more secure. For example, if you’re going out of town for a week and have hired someone to feed your cat you can give them access to the home only for the duration of your trip and not have to worry about getting your keys back from them when you return. 

Smart phone operated locks are not only secure, but they offer great flexibility and control over your homes safety. Looking for help installing a new smart phone operated lock for your home or business? Contact us to get a quote or schedule an appointment today.