Locksmiths are often called out because a homeowner has lost their house key. While you can open doors using lock pick tools or bump keys, it is worth recommending to customers that they hide a spare key in case of emergencies. Here are some clever places you can recommend to customers to hide a spare key.

1. Inside a Brick

You can recommend to a customer that they cut a small hole in a distinctive brick and conceal a spare house key in it. This is a great hiding place for front and backdoor keys. Make sure the brick won’t come loose during stormy weather and expose your hiding place.

2. A Birdhouse

If a customer has a birdhouse, recommend that they hide a spare key in it. Wildlife are unlikely to disturb the key or accidentally eat it due to the size. However, if your customers are concerned about squirrels or scavenging birds taking the key, suggest that they use sticking putty or a mild adhesive to secure the key underneath the birdhouse.

3. Inside a False Drain Cap

Your customers will need to do a little bit of craft work for this one. All they’ll need is a resealable container and a drain cap. A spare key can be hidden in the container and the drain cap is then used as a lid to conceal the key. The container can then be buried in gravel or dirt, while leaving the drain cap visible.

To everyone else it’s a drain, but for your customer it’s access to a spare key if they’ve locked themselves out of the house.

4. In a Fake Faucet Head

Similar to the false drain cap, your customer can hide a spare key inside a fake faucet head. The key can be placed inside a pipe connector, a screw cap seals the key inside and this section is then buried while the faucet remains visible. This is ideal for concealing a key in a flower bed.

5. Under a Fake Rock

You can recommend to customers that they purchase a fake rock that is specifically designed for hiding spare keys. Fake rocks are a great solution for hiding a spare key on the doorstep or in a flower bed. They typically have a small hole drilled into the rock or a concealed container. Make sure that you buy one that is distinctive to you but doesn’t appear to be obvious to potential burglars.

6. In a Fake Sprinkler

Similar to the drain cap and faucet head tricks, you can recommend to customers that they conceal a spare key inside a fake sprinkler. All that’s needed is a small plastic container, such as a medication bottle, place the key inside and attach the sprinkler head for a great spare key hiding place.

7. Behind a Door Knocker

You can suggest to customers that they hide a spare key right under their noses, behind a door knocker. By gluing magnets to the back of a knocker, the key can be concealed in a knocker’s crevice, with the magnets holding the key in place. The knocker can then be attached to the door, giving customers the perfect hiding place for an extra house key.

8. Inside a Fake Socket Cover Outdoors

Your customers can simply place a key inside a fake wall socket with a cover so that a spare key is concealed safely. This keeps the key protected against the elements and lets your clients keep the key close to the front or back door without revealing its location.

9. Car License Plate

A great way for your customers to conceal a key is behind their car’s license plate. Your customer can undo one of the screws holding the license plate on, feed it through the key’s hole and secure the plate down. It’s worth reminding your customer that if they sell their vehicle to remove the house key first.

10. In an Air Vent

Most homes that you visit will have an air conditioner or a tumble dryer vent. The majority of vents have a little ledge the key can rest on, giving your customers a way to conceal a spare key for emergencies.

When Hiding a Key is Not an Option

While there are several ways to conceal a spare key outdoors, not all your customers will feel comfortable hiding one because of security concerns. In this scenario, you need to make sure you’re equipped with the right tools to gain access to a property without damaging a customer’s door locks.

Ensuring that you have the right tools for unlocking doors and preserving the lock can help keep customer costs down as they won’t need to pay for a new lock and a fresh set of keys.

At Zero Day Gear, we stock a range of lock pick and bump key solutions that you can add to your toolbelt for a fast, damage-free way to gain entry to a customer’s property. We have lock pick solutions ranging from beginner to pro.

If you’re just starting out as a locksmith, our lock pick beginner’s practice set comes with all that you need to develop your lock picking technique. The kit comes in a handy case and is completely portable so you can practice your lock picking anywhere.

We also stock a range of lock pick guns, which can open doors in a matter of seconds. Our best selling BPG-10 lock pick gun is ideal for locksmiths operating in North America where an upward lock pick is usually required.

If you’re looking for an alternative to lock picks, we have a range of bump key sets for professionals and beginners. Our professional bump key set is equipped with 18 of our most popular bump keys from brands such as Arrow, BEST, Dexter, Kwikset, Master, Sargent, Schlage, Weiser, and Weslock.

The professional set will help to improve your bumping speed and success rate and features an offset cutting technique which was pioneered by Zero Day Gear.

Order from Zero Day

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