What to Do if You’ve Lost Your Keys
Lost Your Keys?
It occurs to everyone at some point. You need to start your car or get into your house. When you look for your keys, they aren’t where they should be. Usually, you never notice you’ve lost your keys until it’s too late. It’s easy to get upset while you’re hurrying out the door or driving home from work. Take a deep breath before fear sets in. Follow this step-by-step guide to transition from a state of panic to complete peace of mind.
- Double-check to make sure you don’t have keys with you. Always double-check to ensure that you haven’t forgotten where you put your keys. Purses, shoulder bags, and backpacks are often large enough that keys may be covered by other items within. Make a thorough search of your bag, and if required, empty it to ensure that your keys are not stored in a hidden pouch. Even if you don’t generally carry your keys in a backpack, check all of your pockets to be sure they aren’t hidden someplace with you.
- Consider the possibilities of where they may be. Because your keys aren’t where you expected them to be, mentally retrace your movements to figure out where they may be hiding. Questions such as “When was the last time I used my keys?” and “What did I do with my keys after I last used them?” are helpful. Whether you share keys with someone, double-check to see if they’ve been used lately or if they’ve been left in a new location. Also, take into account any deviations from your typical routine that could have resulted in you leaving your keys in an unusual location.
- Carry out a thorough investigation. Once you’ve made a mental list of possible hiding locations for your keys, go through the list and check if any of them include your keys. If at all feasible, return to each of these places and do your own investigation. Follow these recommendations to make your search more effective:
- Be patient, not rushed. It is not necessary to verify the same location several times if you properly inspect it once.
- Always double-check that you’re in the right area. Keys are frequently found hanging about their given place, even if they are not in the precise position that they should be.
- If you have the opportunity, clean up the suspicious areas. Keys are often hidden in plain sights, such as beneath sofa cushions or in a stack of mail.
- Consult with a friend. When hunting for lost keys in public venues such as restaurants or libraries, check with management to see if any keys have been handed in late.
If you are unable to examine all of these locations individually, ask friends or family members to assist you
- Contact the authorities to report the loss of keys. This step is optional, but you may contact or visit your local police station to see whether any keys have been handed in. Keys discovered on the streets or in public parks are sometimes turned over to the police and stored in a secure place.
- Make use of a spare key.If you’re fortunate enough to have a spare, now is the time to use it. These are occasionally concealed in plain sight; other times, they are in possession of family members or roommates. If you are unable to get to your spare from your current position, contact someone who can explain the issue and ask him or her to assist you in getting out of your jam.
- Hire a professional locksmith. It’s tempting at this stage to attempt to get into your home or car using more extreme or hidden methods. Unless it’s an emergency, it’s best to save money and time by hiring a locksmith. Also, if you have discovered your keys but are unable to retrieve them, such as when they are locked in your vehicle, and you do not have a replacement key, a locksmith is your best alternative. Budget locksmiths can assist you in unlocking your house or car as fast as possible without causing any damage to your personal items.
- Make a decision on whether to cut a new key or replace your locks.Locksmiths don’t simply open doors in an emergency; they can also provide valuable advice on what to do if you’ve misplaced your keys. Cutting a new key for an existing lock is a suitable alternative in many circumstances, and it’s generally the least costly. If you’re worried about someone using your missing keys, it’s a good idea to change your locks. Locksmiths deal with situations like these on a regular basis. Therefore, they are an excellent resource when making this choice.
- Take preventative measures. People are more cautious about keeping hold of their keys once they have misplaced them. Take precautionary measures now, while the situation is still fresh in your memory, to save time and worry in the future. If you don’t have a spare set of keys, you should get them made by a locksmith. These new keys should be kept in a secure but conveniently accessible location such as your workplace or garage. A mailbox or a flower planter should be avoided since many burglars start their search there first.
New Home Lock Change & Security Upgrades
So, now that you have finally been able to move into your new house, how can you ensure that anything like this never happens again? The steps you take may be influenced by whether the key has been lost or taken in part. However, whether they were stolen or misplaced, lost home keys are a security hazard and should be avoided at all costs. This is especially true if your home keys have any identifying markers that might be used to trace them back to you if they are lost or stolen.
Locks should be changed.
If you have lost or stolen keys, you must replace the keys and change the locks. In addition, if the lock becomes damaged when you are opening the doors, you should replace it. Depending on the kind of lock that you have put on the door, it may not be required to replace the complete lock system. There are several less expensive alternatives listed below.
Locks should be rekeyed.
Rekeying is a less expensive alternative to replacing the complete lock, yet it is just as effective. Hopefully, there was no damage to the lock, and it is a model that can be rekeyed if necessary. It is possible to rekey a lock by changing or rearranging the combination pins inside it, making it so that a new key may be used to unlock it. It renders the old key useless.
Make a new set of keys.
You should only use this option if you have thoroughly investigated the case and are certain that there is no danger of someone discovering the old keys, tracking your home, and using the key to gain entry into your residence. Cutting a new key is a simple and inexpensive process that may be completed by a professional locksmith. The replacement keys will be a carbon copy of the original set of home keys that were lost.
Install a keyless entry system.
These are electronic locks that do not need the use of a physical key. There is no possibility of your house keys going missing in the future if you choose this option. You may unlock keyless locks by entering a code into a keypad, ring dial, or smartphone app, among other methods. Those who lose their keys on a regular basis may consider using this option. Some of them also give you the option of using an actual key to unlock the door.
It’s never pleasant to misplace your keys, but it does happen every now and again. If this occurs to you, keep in mind that Budget locksmith is merely a phone call away. With years of expertise, we take great pride in meeting all of your business and home locksmith requirements. We have a broad range of keys, locks, and a variety of additional security supplies for your house or company. Budget locksmith is the company to call if you want to improve the security of your house or business or if you have a security problem. Please contact us professionally. We will assist you and provide you best options to get out of the nightmare situation and will get your desired keys on time.