Do you ever wonder why your screen door is so hard to get into? It’s probably because it’s locked from the outside. You see, when the weather gets nice out, kids are always playing in and around your door — so much that they create a large gap. That’s why many households carry external locks on their doors: to keep their kids or other visitors out but still allow for easy access in an emergency. But what about all the other times? Do you know how to unlock your front door so that you can let friends and family in without having to shout? Or how to prevent strangers and intruders from trying to gain unauthorized access to your home while you’re not there? Keep reading this article to learn how to unlock your screen door from the outside.
How To Unlock Your Screen Door From The Outside?
1. Remove the Screen Door
The first thing you need to do is disconnect your screen door from its hinges. This way, you’re able to open the door from the outside as well as the inside. You can also remove your screen door if you want to leave it at home while you’re gone. However, leaving it unlocked might make your family or guests worry that an intruder might be inside — so I recommend removing it when you’re not there.
2. Take Your Key Out of Your Pocket
Next, take out your key and place it on top of the lock at a 45-degree angle (see photo below). This will prevent anyone who tries to unlock your screen door from using a flat head screwdriver or any other tool that might scratch or damage your keyhole.
3. Use Your Key to Unlock Your Screen Door
When you have everything ready, unlock your screen door by inserting your key into the keyhole and turning it a quarter turn clockwise (as shown in the photo below). This will allow you to slide open both sides of the screen door without having to use force on either side of the lock mechanism (which could damage the lock). Then, simply push open both sides of the screen door with ease and walk through with no problems at all!
4. Lock Your Screen Door
Now that you’ve successfully unlocked your screen door from the outside, you can lock it again by sliding it to the left or right. Then, simply insert your key into the keyhole and turn a quarter turn clockwise to lock both sides of your screen door. This is a great way to make sure that no one can gain access to your home while you’re not there!
5. Use a Screen Door Lock
If you don’t want to remove your screen door, another option is to purchase a screen door lock. This will ensure that no one can gain access to your home through your screen door unless they have the key to unlock it.
6. Use a Screen Door Lock with a Keypad
If you think that someone might be able to gain access through your screen door while you’re away, consider installing a screen door lock with a keypad. This way, only those who know the secret code can unlock it and gain access to your home when you’re not there. However, I highly recommend that you only use this option if you have no other choice but to leave the door unlocked because leaving it unlocked may make others worry that an intruder has gained entry into your home and is on the loose!
Why Is It So Hard To Unlock My Front Door?
Your lock is broken
If your front door lock is broken, you will need to call a professional locksmith to come out and replace it. If you don’t want to pay the locksmith yourself, then you may be able to get a free estimate from them.
The deadbolt is stuck
If the deadbolt on your door is stuck in place, then you will need to call a professional locksmith to come out and fix it for you. If you don’t want to pay the locksmith yourself, then you may be able to get a free estimate from them.
The keyhole has been damaged
If the keyhole on your front door has been damaged by someone using a flat head screwdriver or another tool that scratches or damages it, then you will need to call a professional locksmith to come out and repair it for you. If you don’t want to pay the locksmith yourself, then again, you may be able to get a free estimate from them.
The lock is broken
If your lock is broken or the keyhole has been damaged and you can’t get the deadbolt to work, then you will need to call a professional locksmith to come out and repair it for you. If you don’t want to pay the locksmith yourself, then again, you may be able to get a free estimate from them.
The door has been kicked in
If your front door has been kicked in, then you will need to call a professional locksmith to come out and repair it for you. If you don’t want to pay the locksmith yourself, then again, you may be able to get a free estimate from them.
The door has been tampered with
If your front door has been tampered with or damaged in any way, then this means that someone broke into your home and ruined your lock so that they could gain access to your home without needing a key or using any type of electronic keypad system!
How To Protect Your Screen Door?
1. Use a screen door
There are a few different options for how to use a screen door. First, you can use the screen door that came with your home when it was built. If you have an old screen door, then you may want to replace it with one that is made of better materials so that it will be able to last longer and thus keep your home safer.
2. Cover the screen door
If the screen door on your front door is made of wood, then you can cover it with a sturdy piece of canvas or other material so that if someone breaks into your home through the front door, they won’t be able to use it as an exit! This is especially important if you have kids at home and they play outside in their yards often because they may not want someone breaking into their house by kicking down a wooden screen door!
3. Trim the edges of the doorway
If a person has kicked in your front door and broken through multiple layers of security measures, then this means that they must have been very bold or very desperate! Either way, this means that you need to make sure that no one can get out easily from behind your locked doors after breaking into your home! One way to do this is by trimming any sharp edges on all sides of your doorway (even around the bottom!) so that if someone does try to break through from behind, then they will be unable to do so without causing damage themselves!
4. Install a deadbolt
This is one of the best ways to prevent someone from breaking into your home without even needing to break through your front door. A deadbolt is installed on both sides of the doorway and when it is turned, it locks and keeps anyone from breaking in!
5. Install an alarm
If you have an alarm system in your home, then you should know that this will also help keep an intruder out of your house without needing to break through a door! Most alarm systems include a system that will alert the police if someone breaks into your home so that they can come and investigate what happened!
6. Install a peephole or peephole cover
If you want to make sure that no one can see through the peephole in their way before they get to your front door, then you can buy a peephole cover for it or just install one by yourself. This is easily done by drilling some holes in the top portion where the glass sits or simply covering it with wood, plastic, or another type of material so that no one can see what is going on inside!
Conclusion
Screen doors are great when you want to keep people, including children, out but still have easy access to your home. However, there are times when you just want to let friends and family in without having to shout or lift the door yourself, which is why we’ve put together these tips on how to unlock your screen door from the outside.
