You’ve had a long day. You just want to get back home, take a relaxing shower, and chill out with your favorite TV show. But when you try to unlock the front door, it won’t budge. 

Now what?

The first step is to stay calm. Panicking won’t help the situation, and it will only make things worse. Instead, you should look for a professional locksmith in your area. 

Not sure how to find one or when to call them? We’ve put together this guide to help you answer those questions. Make sure you keep reading below to learn a few times you should always call a locksmith. 

1. You Lost Your Key 

If you can’t find your key (even if you aren’t sure whether you lost it or just misplaced it), it’s a good idea to call a locksmith and change the lock on your front door. Someone else may have found your key and picked it up, and you don’t want them to have access to your home. 

You should also call a locksmith right away if someone stole your key. If a person stole your key, they might already know where your house is, so hiring a locksmith, such as www.locksmithmanagement.com, will help protect you, your family, and your possessions from any potential harm. 

2. You Just Bought a New House 

Did you just move into a new home?

Between finalizing any last steps in the closing process and transporting all your items from one location to another, the lock on your front door might be the last thing on your mind. But you should change it as soon as possible. 

After all, you don’t know how many people have a key to the home, including people like: 

• The previous owners 

• The real estate agent 

• The home inspector 

• Etc. 

While these people probably won’t come back to the home, there’s always a small risk. Calling a locksmith will help you improve your home security. 

3. The Key Broke off in the Lock 

If your key is old or damaged, it might break off in the lock when you try to open your door. You might not be able to get the broken piece back out, meaning you’re locked out of your home even if you have a spare key. 

Calling a locksmith is the fastest way to solve the problem. They’ll be able to take the broken key out the lock, repair the lock (if necessary), and even give you a new key. 

4. The Lock Itself Is Broken 

Locks that are old or worn down can also break (and since you can’t see the inside of the lock, you might not even notice). This can make your key unable to fit in the lock or unable to open the door even if it does. 

A locksmith will be able to spot the problem and fix it. In some cases, if your lock is too far gone, they may have to remove it and replace it with a new one. If this happens, though, they’ll also supply you with plenty of new keys. 

Worried they won’t give you enough? You can ask them for more if you need to. 

5. You Got Locked out of Your House 

You might not bring your key outside with you every time you need to check the mail. Normally that’s not a problem, but in some cases, the door may close and lock behind you, making it impossible to get back inside. 

If this happens, don’t panic. 

Take a few minutes to figure out if there is any other way inside your home. Did you leave a window open? Do you have a spare key hidden on your porch? Can you call a friend or family member who has a key to your home?

It may be a better idea to wait for your spouse or your mother to drive to your home than spend money on a locksmith. However, if there’s a child inside the house (especially a young child), you should call a locksmith right away. You may also want to call the police to ensure your child doesn’t get hurt without supervision. 

6. You’re Having Car Trouble 

Locksmiths don’t just handle front door problems. You can also call them if you’re locked out of your car, the lock on your car stops working, you lose your car key, etc. 

They can help you get back in your car and back on the road as fast as possible. 

How to Find a Locksmith in Your Area 

Don’t have a locksmith’s number saved on your phone? That’s okay. Finding a professional locksmith in your area isn’t hard and will only take a few minutes. 

Start by Googling options near you. This should give you several results, and you can then scroll through their websites to ensure they have the proper licensing, insurance, experience, etc. It may be a good idea to give them a call and ask them about these things yourself if you don’t see the information on their website. 

Then spend a few minutes reading reviews on websites like Yelp. If you see a lot of positive reviews, you know you can trust the company with your money. If you see a lot of bad reviews, that’s a red flag! Take your business somewhere else. 

Want to learn some other helpful homeowner tips? We’ve got you covered! Don’t hesitate to take a look at the rest of our website today!