Getting locked out of your vehicle or home can really put a damper on your plans for the day. Lockouts are common, but they are preventable. There are several things you can do to help ensure that lockouts, lost keys, and other problems don’t bring you down. Follow the helpful tips below to help make sure that lockouts don’t get the best of you and your household.

Slow Down

Lockouts are more likely to occur when we are rushing or in a hurry. We may leave or keys on the counter while running out the door or neglect to grab the right key on our way to run errands. The best thing you can do to ensure that lockouts don’t occur is to take your time and slow down as much as possible. Before you leave your house, be sure to take the time to check that you have the right key in hand.

Communicate with Your Household

Good communication can help spare you and your family members from dealing with lockouts. Before you leave your house without a key, always make sure that a family member will be home to let you back inside. It can also be helpful to let other family members know what your schedule ahead of time to prevent lockouts.

Hide a Spare Key

This is one of the oldest and most common tricks that homeowners use to prevent lockouts. Hide an extra key to your home somewhere on your property where it cannot be easily found, but is still retrievable by members of your household. Hiding a spare key is a great way to prevent lockouts since you can always count on there being a hidden key on-site for you to use in a pinch.

Install Keyless Entry Locks

If you want to prevent lockouts altogether, consider upgrading to keyless entry locks for your home. These electronic locks use a keypad combination code of around 4-or-5-digits instead of a traditional key. All you have to do is simply enter in a passcode to gain access to your home.

Contact a Locksmith for an Inspection

If you are experiencing issues with lockouts due to broken or faulty locks, it may be time to contact a locksmith for assistance. Even if you are doing all you can to prevent lockouts, old or worn hardware may make it so that lockouts are inevitable. A lock replacement or upgrade can help ensure that your family is able to gain access to your home any time without fail.