Getting stuck in a locked room is one of those things that is a lot of fun to look back on – and can make a great dinner party story after the event, but while you’re stuck in there it can be a stressful, frustrating and even scary experience. If you’re running late for a meeting, then the last thing you want to do is explain to your boss that you got stuck in a store cupboard or a hotel room. If you’re not in a hurry, you could calmly wait for someone with a key to let you out, but what if the fire alarm goes off while you’re stuck?
Depending on the reason the door is locked, and the type of the lock, getting out could be easier than you think. These tips will help you to get out of a locked room without a key.
Damaged Door Knob
If the door is latched shut and the door knob has fallen off, you may be able to unlatch the door from the inside. You can do this one of two ways. The least destructive way is to slide a credit card into the area where the latch is and try to force it back. If that doesn’t work, see if you can use your car keys or some other handy item as a makeshift screwdriver to unscrew the panel that once held the door knob. Inside, there should be a square hole. Insert something solid into that hole and turn it, and in theory the door latch should release.
Locked Interior Door
Many interior doors have a standard lock, and then a small, round hole in the middle of the doorknob. This hole is designed to allow the door to be opened with a standard hex wrench in the event of an emergency. You may need to use a few different hex wrenches to find one that fits.
Unlatching a Locked External Door
Some external doors have a simple latch and then a second lock. When the door shuts, it cannot be opened from the outside without a key, but as long as the second lock was not turned, the door should open from the inside.
However, the person on the inside needs to be able to reach the latch to open the door. If a small child accidentally finds themselves locked in, they may be unable to open the door. If you find yourself in this situation, don’t call a locksmith just yet. Ask a next-door neighbour for a wire coat hanger, and see if you can open the door by unwinding the coat hanger, making a small hooked tip at the end, and feeding it up through the letterbox to catch the latch. You can do something similar to open car doors too.
If all else fails, and you are stuck inside a locked room, try to stay calm. Look for alternative exits, try to find a way to communicate with the outside world (such as an intercom or telephone), or bang on the door to attract attention. With luck, help should come quite quickly.
