If you are locked out, call your super or anyone who holds a spare key first, and then call a locksmith with your exact address and apartment number.
Nobody plans a lockout. It happens when you take the trash down the hall, step out for a package, or come home late off the A train and reach for keys that are still on the kitchen table. Here is what we tell people who call us from a hallway or a sidewalk uptown.
What should I check before calling anyone?
If you live with someone, call them. If a neighbor or family member holds a spare key, this is the time to use it. Do not climb onto a fire escape or try a window you cannot reach safely. A lockout is a bad day, and a fall is much worse.
Should I call my super or my landlord?
If your building has a super, call them first. Some landlords keep a key for each apartment and may be able to let you in. If they cannot, or nobody picks up, call a locksmith.
What should I tell the locksmith?
- Your exact address, your apartment number, and the cross street.
- Which door you are locked out of: the lobby door, the apartment door, or both.
- What kind of lock is on it, if you know. Most pre-war apartment doors uptown have a mortise lock, with one tall plate and a handle, and many also have a round deadbolt cylinder above it.
- Whether a key broke off inside the lock.
- A photo of the lock, if you can take one and text it.
That helps the locksmith bring the right tools and parts. If you are outside at night, wait somewhere lit, under a streetlight or near an open bodega, and say where to find you.
What happens when the locksmith gets there?
A good locksmith asks for ID or another way to show the place is yours. Have it ready if you can, or ask your super to vouch for you. Then they open the door, starting with the gentlest method and only drilling when nothing else works. If the lock has to come out, they should tell you first and offer to replace it on the same visit.
How do I avoid the next lockout?
- Leave a spare key with someone you can reach at any hour.
- Make a habit of touching your keys before the door closes behind you.
- If your door locks itself when it closes, ask about a lock that does not.
- If keys go missing, rekey the lock so the old ones stop working.
Who do I call in Washington Heights?
Washington Heights Locksmith is a mobile locksmith with a shop at NHS Hardware on Amsterdam Avenue, and we come to you. Our phone line is open 24/7. Call (555) 555-5555 or text a photo of the lock, and we give you a written quote before any work starts.