If there’s one thing nearly everyone has to face at least once in their lives, it’s getting locked out of a room, the entire place, or a car.
In such a case, you need the services of an expert locksmith.
However, in some cases, you may not have a lock specialist come to your rescue immediately.
Knowing how to unlock the door yourself can save you from a lot of hassle if you’re locked out of your home or out of your car in a remote location.
As a locksmith company in Vancouver, we understand our clients’ troubles when locked out.
The experts at Vancouver Locks & Lockouts have compiled this guide of tips on how to unlock a door without a key for an emergency.
Use Home Tools Or Stationery
We’re talking about a paper clip opened flat with the top flattened with a hammer, a small, narrow knife, or an eyeglass-repair screwdriver.
One or more of these tools is present in any home or office and can be used as an improvised key—if you know how to fiddle it in.
Take the thin tool, push it into the keyhole as far as you can, and use small, jerky turns to catch a groove in the lock.
If you can feel your paper clip or screwdriver catch onto something, twist completely to open the lock.
This method works for the interior side of the lock.
It is not easy and takes a lot of patience or repeated tries to get inside a locked door, which is why you should call an emergency locksmith if you can.
Use A Bank Card Or Similar
Credit cards, ID cards, or membership cards may unlock a spring lock, as advised by many lock specialists.
Of course, it’s useless if you’ve got a deadbolt, but it might work well for an ordinary slanted lock with a handle.
A laminated, slightly bendy card will do; only make sure to use an important one (in case it breaks).
Slide the card between the lock and the door frame (along the door frame) and bend it to push it against the card to force it to open.
Check out this video if you want a visual of how you should operate the card against the lock.
Pick The Lock With A Lock-pick Set
This method will work on most locks (barring electronic locks and deadbolts, of course) but requires the know-how of the mechanism of a lock.
A lock pick is usually how emergency locksmiths open a locked, broken, or jammed door lock.
In this technique, you imitate the movements of the key using an Allen wrench (also known as the Hex key) and a paperclip or bobby pin.
Insert the short end of the wrench into the lower section of the keyhole and, applying a bit of pressure, turn it slightly in the direction you usually turn the key to open the door.
Hold this position and insert the clip into the keyhole alongside, using gentle upward motions onto the pins inside the lock (to push each pin up until it clicks into place).
Increase the pressure on the Allen wrench for upwards motion and maintain the movement till the door opens.
Dismantle The Entire Lock
There are two locks: one with exposed screws and the other with a covering plate.
The former is simple enough; you can unscrew the visible screws.
For the latter, you must get to the screws under the plate surrounding the knob.
To remove the back plate, first, dismantle the knob using a flat screwdriver to push against the small button at the bottom—as shown in this video.
Once you get to the screws, take them out and take apart all the parts.
Make sure to dismantle the lock properly so you can put it back together after (if you can’t, get a home locksmith to do it to avoid jamming).
Unscrew The Door Hinges
If all else fails, it’s time to take apart the entire door.
Of course, this won’t work on a car door, and you need to call a car locksmith to open the door (many lock experts or towing services are open 24/7, so you need not worry much).
Unscrewing the hinges is extreme, but it won’t damage the door.
Work slowly and carefully to avoid the door suddenly falling open on you or the other side.
Once you get in the door, screw it back shut and call a lock machinist as soon as possible.
Parting Advice
These tips for how to unlock a door without a key are helpful but challenging.
We suggest you call a locksmith to avoid damaging your lock or the entire door.
Call Vancouver Locks & Lockouts for help; as a leading locksmith company in Vancouver; we offer our services throughout the day for all emergency car and home lockouts.
Contact us today!
