Wondering what to do when your door lock isn’t working suddenly? No worries as this particular problem have some smart and swift solutions.
Being the gateway to both your home and room, the door must be locked rightly for your own safety. But do you know how to keep a door shut without a lock to handle emergencies? The most active expedients are right there. Using door blockers and door reinforcement kits, turning a fork into a lock, barricading it with some heavy object, knotting the handles to protect double doors, placing a chair under the handle, etc. are some of the convenient quick fixes. All these operations are functionally feasible when you cannot get a portable lock right away.
However, to get out of this predicament, you need to puzzle out which is the most accessible way for you.
6 Most Effective Ways to Keep a Door Shut Without a Lock
Below, we are going to talk about the six most fast and facile key techniques to face this unforeseen occurrence. Keep on reading if you are hunting for effective execution.
1. Building a Barricade to Keep the Door Shut
The very first scheme relates to the most basic concept of closing a lockless door. Be it double or sliding doors, a barricade works great to prevent it from opening.
To make use of this arrangement, you need to figure out in which way the door opens. It will open either outside or inside. Just place something strong and sturdy against it towards the opening direction. For example, chairs, tables, desks, closets, etc. will be enough to stop a forced entry through the doorway.
2. Turning a Fork into a Lock
Looking for a quick DIY solution as a rapid replacement for your damaged lock? Well, a small fork will get the job done.
Though this method is not sufficient to secure your main door from a mighty attack, it will be a successful safeguard to protect small doorways like the bathroom or closet.
So, how to transform the fork into a lock? Start with picking a fork with a flat handle. Then bend the prongs around 0.4 inches with piler, knife, or hammer. Now, cut the handle of the fork. Place the forkhead into the hole and close the door. Finally, slide the handle into the prongs and it is locked. How easy-peasy, isn’t it?
3. Using a Door Wedge to Lock the Door Temporarily
This is pretty similar to using a barricade to block the door. Yet, this is one of the most manageable methods to guard a door without using a lock.
Usually, a wedge comes in handy to keep the gate open. But, it can also be used as a blocker to restrict the movement of your entryway. To make this route resultant, you need to close the door and place the wedge at the bottom. Differently, you can put the peg under the handle also.
Most interestingly, you don’t need a single penny to grab the wedges. Simple household objects will be alright. For instance, cardboard, shoes, thick socks, etc. can easily be turned into doorstops.
4. Tying Up the Handles Together to Close Double Doors
Another simple yet suitable stroke to keep a door shut without a lock is to knot the door handles together. I relied on this temporary technique several times to fasten my double doors. You need to bind the handles tightly with cable, rope, or chain. This will protect the main entrance to a building or room from burglars until the locksmith arrives.
5. Removing the Knob/Handle from the Outer Side of the Door
What’s the purpose of locking a door? To prevent unwanted intruders, right? So, removing the lock entirely will do the same.
Without a handle or knob, the gate-crashers cannot grab anything to open it. This is a smart move for locking doors that open both inward and outward. But you must use proper tools to disassemble the lock and handle. In this way, it will not get damaged and the key maker can recover it again.
However, this is a time-consuming tactic and involves risks if you forget to install the handle again. In that case, you will be blocked from entering your own house.
We would suggest you trying this option if only there is no other alternative.
6. Picking Up a Portable Lock as a Viable Option
Portable locks not only work to shut doors without locking mechanisms but also add additional security.
The most interesting fact is that you can use it as a spare padlock too. They are pretty convenient to carry anywhere. So, frequent travelers like it the most.
However, there are many options available to pick a portable lock of your choice. It is the promptest policy to lock up your door as it takes just a few minutes to attach. Addalock, Calslock, Travelers Security Lock, etc. are some of the most affordable portable locks to clasp your doorways.
Closing Notes
To sum up, we would like to suggest that you must pick a trick that suits you the best to shut your door without a lock. It might seem quite challenging. But you can do it successfully following proper procedure.
Be it using a fork, barricade, or a door wedge- all these are short-term solutions. But they are truly telling when it comes to surviving this kind of unsettled situation.
Please remember that these methods will slow down your emergency entry and exit. So, you can go for portable locks as alternatives.
What’s your favorite approach out of the six? Share with us by commenting below.
