Ever had to break into a house you were inspecting?

[ren ramsey]

Well it happened and I learned a valuable lesson. Never had this occur in 18 years. Always keep the keys to the house in your pocket or at least out of the house. I laid them down on the kitchen cabinet and went outside to check something. I know that I unlocked the door as I went. I shut it to save the client on energy. I know stupid but that's me. HECK the house was vacant. So I go back to the door and it is LOCKED. No window is open nothing. I'm thinking I had a huge ring of keys and the agent probably does not have a spare and I dang sure don't want to call and ask. I start thinking about cutting through the floor in a closet wit a saw zall then I have a brain storm. I had noticed a scuttle in the garage. It was about 12 feet in the air and I knew old folks use to live there. I thought, maybe they had installed a pull-down at some time or maybe there is another access on the interior. So throwing caution to the wind I take apart my extension ladder and put it up to the scuttle. Guess what. IT"S NAILED SHUT. But this did give me the feeling that maybe there was an interior pull-down. So after beating my way through, thank goodness it had only two poorly nailed finish nails although I did bruise my hand in the process. I get the hatch open and climb in and YESSS, I see a pull-down at the other end. SO in I go. That's my postcard from the field.

[Jerry Peck]

And you DID write up the unlockable access to the house interior by way of a the EXTERIOR attic access ... :D (seriously, that is what that attic access is :( )

[Vern Heiler]

Well it happened and I learned a valuable lesson. Never had this occur in 18 years. Always keep the keys to the house in your pocket or at least out of the house. I laid them down on the kitchen cabinet and went outside to check something. I know that I unlocked the door as I went. I shut it to save the client on energy. I know stupid but that's me. HECK the house was vacant. So I go back to the door and it is LOCKED. No window is open nothing. I'm thinking I had a huge ring of keys and the agent probably does not have a spare and I dang sure don't want to call and ask. I start thinking about cutting through the floor in a closet wit a saw zall then I have a brain storm. I had noticed a scuttle in the garage. It was about 12 feet in the air and I knew old folks use to live there. I thought, maybe they had installed a pull-down at some time or maybe there is another access on the interior. So throwing caution to the wind I take apart my extension ladder and put it up to the scuttle. Guess what. IT"S NAILED SHUT. But this did give me the feeling that maybe there was an interior pull-down. So after beating my way through, thank goodness it had only two poorly nailed finish nails although I did bruise my hand in the process. I get the hatch open and climb in and YESSS, I see a pull-down at the other end. SO in I go. That's my postcard from the field.

Those pull-downs don't lower very easily from the attic huh:D.

[Ken Rowe]

I always leave the key in the door. Agents have scolded me in the past but I explain it keeps me from locking myself out.

[John Kogel]

Yep I did that. One time I got back in thru a second floor window. Another time we had to call the owner. Not always but usually I will open another door somewhere in the first few minutes of the inspection.

Sometimes a spring-loaded deadbolt will have a loose catch and that bolt will snap shut on you.

[Jack Feldmann]

Yes I have locked myself out, and had to climb in a 2nd floor window that I remembered had a broken latch.
However, I now confirm the operation of the doorknob from the outside to ensure it is unlocked. I also will unlock more than one door.
Of course, it depends on the individual circumstances, but Knoxville is a pretty safe place, so I don't have the same concerns I did when I lived in So CA.

[Raymond Wand]

Yet another reason not to be in the home alone.

[Jim Luttrall]

The key goes in my watch pocket in my jeans as soon as I unlock the door. This is why.
Most houses around here have at least one door that locks when closed and I learned early on not to trust them. The garage to house door also stands open while I'm in the garage. Heck, I try not to even test closet doors from the inside.
"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
Will Rogers (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/will_rogers.html)

Read more at Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. - Will Rogers at BrainyQuote (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/willrogers411692.html#JweIj3okK2RODypy.99)
- Will Rogers"

[Vern Heiler]

The key goes in my watch pocket in my jeans as soon as I unlock the door. This is why.
Most houses around here have at least one door that locks when closed and I learned early on not to trust them. The garage to house door also stands open while I'm in the garage. Heck, I try not to even test closet doors from the inside.
"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
Will Rogers (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/will_rogers.html)

Read more at Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. - Will Rogers at BrainyQuote (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/willrogers411692.html#JweIj3okK2RODypy.99)
- Will Rogers"

Schlage locked me out on a 4th floor condo balcony several years ago because they open from the inside when locked and remain locked when closed. That is supposed to be a safety feature to prevent locking a child or elderly person in if there is a fire. I wonder how many have ended up in the emergency room from trying to get back in?

[John Kogel]

Funny story. The attic hatch in a 100-year-old house was in a small walk-in closet. I'm alone in the house most of the time. I got my telescoping ladder in there and I'm fumbling with shelves and such and that old wood door with the simple latch clicks shut behind me! Plus my flashlight is laying out there on the floor. :D
Luckily I had my screwdriver with the slim blade, got my self out. But it was creepy.

[Jerry Peck]

Duct tape. :thumb:

Keeps the latch from going back into the strike plate and latching hole ...

Remember, a tool box needs two things: 1) duct tape; 2) WD-40.
- If it moves and should not - duct tape.
- If it does not move and should - WD-40.
:cool:

[Jim Robinson]

Yep. Climbed in the window. I try to keep the key in my pocket, as well as unlock another door at the start. Sometimes I get distracted and forget, though. Only happened once so far.

[Rick Bunzel]

I was inspecting a home that had a 2nd story deck. Out on the deck and a gust shuts the door. I grab it and its locked. Duhhh. Turns out the deck is really like more 3 stories because the lot is sloping and dropping away. So jumping off the deck is really not a healthy option. Fortunately the builder did not use the best door hardware and I only ruined two credit cards slipping the door lock open. I now check the locks twice before I go out on a high deck.

//Rick

[Hank Spinnler]

Oh yes. Only vacant homes though. Came in through a dog door once, garage doors and unlocked windows several times. I maintain a "Failure is not an option" mentality when scheduled to perform.

[Trent Tarter]

This has happened to me once before. I always make sure both front and rear exterior door are unlocked. Also I typically leave the key outside.