Surely you have seen a thousand times in action movies how a person pulls out a credit card and unlocks the door easily and comfortably. If you were wondering until now if this is just fiction, we have to tell you that it is possible to open a door with a credit card, but you should know a few things first.
If the classic case of forgetting your key inside the house has happened to you, and you don’t want to call the locksmith because of all the money involved, you will have to know how to act. Yes, doors can be opened, but you must first see what kind of door you have and how strong it is.
Secondly, you must consider what instrument you can use to unlock your door. A card is possible, but also a lock pick or a hairpin can be great allies at a time like this. The most important thing, after all, is to get the door open and ensure that neither the door nor the instrument you will use will suffer any damage. Let’s see how to unlock the door with a credit card and if this is the most viable option!
What types of locks can be opened with a credit card?
When we talk about the different doors that can be opened with a credit card, we are making a distinction depending on the type of lock they have.
It is not the same as opening a door with a deadbolt or an automatic gate. There are several steps you can take when you are in front of the door with your credit card to determine if you will be able to open it:
- The most important thing is to check that there is no lock. The lock is usually a metal bar, and this will never be able to be given up with a credit card. Rather, you will need to pick the lock in some other way, or you will need a fork to turn the lock and move the metal bar.
- The door can be opened with your card if it has a tilted latch. This latch must be facing you to be opened and to check that this is the case, you only have to see if the hinges are on the opposite side of the door. If they are… It is possible to use the card! If the hinges are on the same side as you, then you will have to unscrew them, which is another type of operation.
- Finally, it is important to check that there is no metal plate between you and the inclined latch. Also, the door is not automatic, and the moldings are not excessive. All these details can completely hinder the plan.
If all these circumstances are met, you are in luck because you will most likely be able to unlock your door with your credit card. That action that looks so easy in the movies, you might be able to do just as well.
Are you sure you want to use a credit card?
Now that you know it is possible to use a credit card to unlock your front door, you may need to ask yourself a serious question: Are you sure you want to use your credit card for this task?
You have to think that the card you use to unlock the door could be damaged. It is not an automatic movement, and you will have to move the card through the slot in the door until you get the click that makes the door give way. Credit cards are delicate, and above all, they are difficult to replace without spending a few troublesome days, so we recommend using any other type of card.
And which card can it be? Well, any card that has less value than your credit card. A gift card, a card from a hotel you stayed at, a video store card that you can easily replace, and even the one from the gym if you can exchange it for another without paying the penalty.
Any card that is not too flimsy is perfect for this operation, and this way, you will keep your credit card safe while you manage to open the door and save on the locksmith.