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What to do if you can't open your safe

A safe is one of the best ways to protect your most valuable items in your house or office. Today, there are so many options available on the market. You can choose between safes of different sizes and materials. They come with various locks – mechanical or electronic. No matter which type of lock you use, there's always a possibility of it malfunctioning or getting worn out. A safe lockout is not as common as a house lockout, of course, but it's definitely just as serious.

So, today we want to discuss some of the reasons why your safe wouldn't open. Sure Lock & Key has been dealing with issues like that for years. We want to share our knowledge on how to resolve them with you. So, keep reading to learn more.

Reasons your safe won't open

If you can't open a safe, it's important to define what the exact cause is. Trying to resolve the problem without knowing what exactly the problem is might lead to even more damage. So, let's look at some of the reasons why your safe won't open.
  • The most common issue many mechanical safe owners deal with is a lost key. Probably all of us lost our key at least once in our life. So, if there's no spare, you won't be able to open your safe without professional assistance.
  • When it comes to digital safes, you may face another problem. A digital lock depends on batteries. So, there's always a possibility they'll get discharged and it'll be impossible to unlock your safe.
  • Another reason for your lock to malfunction is if the bolts inside get jammed. Then it'll block the movement of the locking mechanism.
safe lock combination plate
  • Many people that use digital locks and forget a combination try to guess it. However, entering a certain number of wrong combinations may lead to a safe lockout. Usually, these locks get blocked after a few unsuccessful tries for security reasons.
  • Another issue that might occur with digital locks is code deactivation. Many people are actually not even aware something like that is possible.
  • Also, don't exclude the possibility of your wires getting disconnected or damaged. If you want to check if that is the cause of your lock malfunctioning, you can remove the keypad to look at the wires
safe lock combination plate

How to open a safe

Above, we discussed some of the most reasons for not being able to open your safe. After you define what exactly is wrong with your safe lock, it's time to come up with a solution. So, how can you open a safe?
Some of the problems we described above you can resolve on your own. For example, if you understand that your batteries get discharged, you can simply replace them. Check which type and brand of batteries are suitable for your safe and try to purchase them somewhere. Also, if you checked your keypad and noticed some problems with the wiring, you can try fixing it yourself as well. If you see that the wires got loose, try connecting them back together and your lock is supposed to start working. However, if you see that the damage is more severe, we recommend you use professional, safe locksmith services.
Small digital safe
In case your bolts get jammed, try to apply some pressure on the door or kick the safe, but not too hard if you don't want to damage it. That way, your bolts might get loose a bit and they'll start moving again.
However, if your safe lock got blocked, you lost a key or you accidentally damaged the lock or wires, it's better to use professional assistance. Problems like that cannot be resolved without special tools and skills.
Small digital safe

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Summing up

Just like any other locking mechanism, a safe lock may go out of order. There are many reasons for that, starting from a worn-out lock to damaged wires. Some of these issues are not as serious and can be resolved without professional assistance and some require special skills to be fixed. If you're having any trouble with your safe lock, don't hesitate to call us. Sure Lock & Key will gladly resolve any of them.

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Advantages and disadvantages of digital safes

Since technological advances became part of the security industry, the competition between digital devices and standard types of security, such as locks, keys, and now safes, has become a part of an endless comparison, where every small detail counts. There is a lot of information that you might not find when you research digital safes and their locks, so there are many different questions you might have: How do these mechanisms work? What are their weak points? Are they better than traditional safes? There are many different opinions on this topic, but it’s always best to get your answers directly from reliable sources. If you want to find out more about the functions of digital safes and their advantages and disadvantages, it’s a good idea to ask a professional. Sure Lock & Key is a nationwide locksmith company with 35 years of experience. We are ready to provide you with any information about digital safes you might desire.