Why You Should Never Leave Keys In The Door
Most people have, at one time or another, left their keys in the door. It’s an easy mistake to make. You might be in such a hurry to get inside that you forget to take your keys with you. Or you’re preoccupied, maybe on the phone, while you let yourself in, and you forget that you’ve left them in the lock.
Some people intentionally leave their keys in the door – on the inside. These are usually people who lose their keys often, so they figure it’s just easier to leave them in the door.
Whatever the reason, this practice isn’t one you should continue. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the dangers of doing so.
4 reasons why you shouldn’t leave your keys in the door
1. You could get locked out
If you leave your keys in the door, there’s a chance you could accidentally lock yourself out. This is especially true if you have a habit of slamming doors shut behind you. If your keys are in the lock on the other side of the door, and you nip outside to, say, take the bins out, you could find yourself locked out of your own home.
2. It’s a security risk
Leaving your keys in the door (on the outside) is a security risk, both for you and your home. A passerby could see your keys, take them, and decide to break in. You wouldn’t even know your keys were missing until it was too late.
Someone could also, in theory, take your keys to be copied, return them to the door, then let themselves in at a later stage when you’re not home.
If you leave them in the door on the inside, you could still be exposing yourself to possible theft. Wily criminals have been known to reach through windows or letterboxes with tools and grab keys that have been left in the door.
3. It could void your insurance
Some homeowners’ insurance or tenant insurance policies have a clause that voids your coverage if you leave your keys in the door. That means that if someone breaks into your home using keys you left in your door, your insurer could refuse to pay out.
4. It could damage the lock
Leaving your keys in the door, on either side, puts unnecessary stress on the lock. Over time, this could cause the lock to break or become damaged.
Keyholes aren’t designed to have keys inserted into them for long periods.
Now that you know the dangers of leaving your keys in your door, what are some of the ways that you can avoid leaving them behind in the lock?
Attach them to your clothing or around your neck
If you have a habit of forgetting your keys in the lock when you let yourself in, try attaching them to your clothing on a lanyard or keychain. That way, you won’t be able to go inside without taking them with you.