Locksmiths are known for their skills in opening locked doors, but one lock can be opened from the outside. The night latch was designed to open with a key so someone could use it without waking up anyone who might be sleeping inside.
This trick can come in handy if you need to get into your house after hours or when there’s an emergency, and you don’t want to break down the door. It can also be used if you have misplaced your key. You’ll need a small object like a paper clip or bobby pin to open the latch.
Start by inserting the small object into the keyhole on the latch. It’s essential to do this slowly and carefully not to damage the lock. So, this article is for you. You will learn how to open a night latch lock from the outside with just one simple trick!
6 Steps to Follow on How to Open a Night Latch Lock From the Outside
Step One: Determine
First, determine if your door has a night latch lock. It likely has a night latch lock if it opens with a key inside and either slides or swings open from the outside. The easiest way to determine this is to go outside of your house, open the door, and try to slide or swing it closed.
If you can close the door from the outside, the night latch lock is engaged and will need to be opened from the inside. If you cannot close the door, the night latch lock is not engaged, and you will be able to open it from the outside.
It is also possible that even though you cannot close the door from the outside, it has a night latch lock. There will need to be two people working together to open the lock in this case. One person should hold the key, and another should push on the door to try and close it as much as possible.
Step Two: Gather Your Tools
You will need a screwdriver or a flat head screwdriver to remove the screws from your door. You will also need a sharp object to stick the screwdriver into the door. This step is very important because it may be hard to open the night latch lock if you do not have a flat head.
Other styles of screwdrivers may not work and could damage your door or even the night latch lock. If you do not have screws on your door, it’s still possible to open the lock without them. You need to go in through a window or under the house to open the locking mechanism from underneath.
If you want to do this, you will first need a flashlight. You can then stick the screwdriver into one of the cracks on the night latch lock from underneath, and it will open as if you had removed screws from above. This will help in how to open a night latch lock from the outside.
Step Three: Remove Screws
Once you have determined that your door has a night latch lock and gathered your tools, take out all of your screws. There should be between two and four screws, and they will be located on the doorframe near the lock. Once you have removed all of the screws, the doorframe should be loose, and you will be able to remove it.
Make sure that you keep all of the screws in a safe place, as you will need to put the doorframe back in once you have opened the lock. If you want to be extra careful, you can hold onto the screws while opening the lock. This means that once you have opened it, all you will need to do is put them back in and close the doorframe.
If you cannot remove the screws, you can try to go in through a window or under the house. If this is not an option, you may need help from a friend or family member who can open the lock from the inside.
Step Four: Open Night Latch Lock
Now that you have removed the doorframe, you should see the night latch lock. It will be a small hole in the door near the keyhole. You will need to use your sharp object to stick it into the hole and twist it to the left.
You should feel a small click once you have turned it, which means that the lock is now open. If you cannot turn it, you may need more force. Be careful not to damage the lock or the door while doing this. Once the lock is open, you can put the doorframe back in and close the door from the inside.
Now that you have a better understanding of how to open a night latch lock from outside, you should go ahead and try it yourself. It is a simple technique that will help you get back into your house if you happen to get locked out for some reason. These steps should help you learn how to open a night latch lock from the outside.
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Step Five: Removing Doorframe
Once you have removed all of your screws, the door frame should be loose enough for you to remove. If you cannot remove it easily, try putting a little more force behind it and pull on it until it comes out. With this step complete, you will now see your night latch lock.
It is a small hole in the door near the keyhole. You will need to use your sharp object to stick it into the hole and twist it to the left. You should feel a small click once you have turned it, meaning the lock is now open.
If you cannot turn it, you may need more force. Be careful not to damage the lock or the door while doing this. Once the lock is open, you can put the doorframe back in and close the door from the inside. Now that you better understand how to open a night latch lock from outside, you should go ahead and try it yourself.
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Step Six: Maintain the Night Latch
Once you have opened the night latch lock, ensure that you maintain it. This means keeping your key near you at all times so that you can use it to open the lock if necessary. For example, keeping your door locked with a normal key will ensure that no one has access to your home because they will not be able to turn the night latch lock from the outside.
If you lose your key, you will need to call a locksmith to have it replaced. Therefore, you must keep your lock in good condition to use it in case of an emergency. Keep this information in mind now that you know how to open a night latch lock from the outside. It is a simple technique that can come in handy if you ever get locked out of your house.
How Does a Double Locking Night Latch Work?
A night latch lock is a door lock that typically has a deadbolt and a latch. The latch is spring-loaded and automatically retracts when the door is closed. The bolt extends from the door into the strike plate on the frame and locks the door in place.
A double locking night latch has a different locking mechanism that engages when the bolt is extended. This makes it more difficult to open the door from the outside, especially for someone trying to break in. However, when the door opens inward, this type of lock has two separate springs which retract the latch and deadbolt simultaneously, allowing the door to open.
However, only one spring retracts these components when the door opens outward. This leaves enough tension on both pieces to don’t pull back in. So, unfortunately, it is impossible to open the door by inserting a prying tool between the door and jamb to lift the latch.
These locks are often included on high-security doors because they require two separate actions for entry: pulling back both latches at once. The double-locking feature means that intruders who manage to get inside won’t unlock the door from the inside and escape.
Conclusion
It’s always good to know how to open a night latch lock from the outside if you ever need it! If this interests you, please get in touch with our locksmiths today. We’ll be more than happy to answer any questions and provide all necessary information for setting up your emergency DIY toolkit at home.
All of us here are passionate about helping people feel safe when they’re alone, and we look forward to hearing from you soon! If you cannot turn the key, you will need more force. Be careful not to damage the lock or the door while doing this.
