Start with anyone who holds a spare key, like your super or a family member. If that fails, call a locksmith and give your address and apartment number.
Most lockouts start with something small. You take out the trash, you go down for a package, or you get home and your keys are sitting on the table upstairs. These are the steps we walk people through when they call us from a hallway or a stoop.
What should I try first?
Call anyone who lives with you or holds a spare. Stay off the fire escape and away from any window you cannot safely reach. Getting back in late is annoying. A fall is far worse.
Can my super let me in?
Maybe. Some supers and landlords keep a copy of each apartment key, so give them a call. If they do not have one or do not answer, call a locksmith.
What will the locksmith need to know?
- Your full address and apartment number.
- Which door has you stuck: the front door of the building, your apartment door, or both.
- What the lock looks like. A tall brass plate with a key cylinder above a knob is a mortise lock, the most common kind on apartment doors around here.
- Whether part of a key broke off in it.
- A photo, if you still have your phone.
This helps the locksmith come with the right tools and parts. If you are waiting outside after dark, stay under a light or near an open store, and tell the locksmith where to find you.
What happens at the door?
The locksmith should try the least damaging way in first. If the lock has to be drilled, you should hear that before the work starts.
How can I keep this from happening again?
- Leave a spare with someone you can reach at any hour.
- Feel for your keys before the door shuts behind you.
- If your door locks itself, ask about a lock that does not.
- If you lose a set, rekey the lock so the lost keys stop working.
Who can I call in University Heights?
University Heights Locksmith has its shop inside Tejada Hardware on University Avenue, and we come to you. Our phone line is open 24/7. Call (929) 590-9904 or text a photo of the lock, and we give you a written quote before any work starts.