I'm locked out of my house -- some questions

Temporarily homeless

I've locked myself out of my house. How did I do this? I absent-mindedly left the key in the door, on the inside, and shut the door behind me as I went out.

The door and lock are modern (they were installed in 2007), and the system is such that you can't get back in unless you have a key. I am going to get in contact with a family friend who has a spare key, and I am going to get the key from her and try to gain entry. However, because the key is still in the door, I don't know whether this will work.

My questions are to this forum are:

(1) Can anyone venture an opinion on whether this spare key will work (with the key still in the door)?

(2) If I get a locksmith, would they be able to enter the house fairly easily, or will they encounter difficulties due to the fact that the key is still on the inside?

I don't know anything about the technicalities of locks, so I'll give a few details here about the exit procedure from the house, because it may help some knowledgeable person answer my questions. The exit procedure is:

(1) go out;

(2) shut door (from this point on, you can't get back in unless you have a key);

(3) push handle up (this applies an additional lock, I think);

(4) insert key in lock and turn;

When I left the house this morning, I performed steps 1-3.

No way your getting in,

cut your losses

move on

anonyl

Temporarily homeless wrote: »

I've locked myself out of my house. How did I do this? I absent-mindedly left the key in the door, on the inside, and shut the door behind me as I went out.

The door and lock are modern (they were installed in 2007), and the system is such that you can't get back in unless you have a key. I am going to get in contact with a family friend who has a spare key, and I am going to get the key from her and try to gain entry. However, because the key is still in the door, I don't know whether this will work.

My questions are to this forum are:

(1) Can anyone venture an opinion on whether this spare key will work (with the key still in the door)?

(2) If I get a locksmith, would they be able to enter the house fairly easily, or will they encounter difficulties due to the fact that the key is still on the inside?

I don't know anything about the technicalities of locks, so I'll give a few details here about the exit procedure from the house, because it may help some knowledgeable person answer my questions. The exit procedure is:

(1) go out;

(2) shut door (from this point on, you can't get back in unless you have a key);

(3) push handle up (this applies an additional lock, I think);

(4) insert key in lock and turn;

When I left the house this morning, I performed steps 1-3.

if you can get a metal clothes hanger,open it out and bend it in a way that when you put it through the letterbox of the front door you can get it to rest on the handle on the inside of the door and then put pressure down on it it will open the door ths has worked for me many of times or u could check and see if you ledt any windows open

FloatingVoter

Sounds like my lock. If identical, the spare key should force out the original key. Its a fault in some locks that can be used to your advantage.

Temporarily homeless

Just to give an update: the spare key worked fine. There was actually no need for the spare key to "push out" the other key; they seem to operate on two separate mechanisms.

Villaines

Temporarily homeless wrote: »

Just to give an update: the spare key worked fine. There was actually no need for the spare key to "push out" the other key; they seem to operate on two separate mechanisms.

You got lucky. I presume you have a lever pad lock, lever on inside, pad on outside.

These are great in theory as once door is closed nobody can get in from outside, even if unlocked, which is better than lever-lever type locks.

Problem is installers then put in keylock-keylock cylinders instead of keylock-thumbturn cylinders. Makes sense in a way as otherwise makes for an easy exit for small kids.

But if key is left inside, you may not be able to use a second key from outside.

Learn from your lesson- next time you may be less fortunate!

FloatingVoter

In my case there is always a key in the door during daytime - so I have to let myself out and remove the key. My own key is always in my pocket - I know this because I have to lock up from the outside with that. It sounds fiddly but it becomes second nature.