Not everyone in Los Angeles has enough room for all of their stuff, which has made storage units extremely popular. And just like it is possible to be locked out of your car, home, or office, it should not be surprising to find out that storage unit lockouts are just as likely. But if you find that you are locked out of a storage unit, you can try one of the following simple solutions.

1. Shimming

The fastest and safest method for opening your lock is to use shims so that you can release the shackle without a key. But in order for this to work, your storage lock must be a padlock that does not use ball bearings or other anti-shim locking pawls. You can make a padlock shim from an aluminum can or buy shims premade off the internet, depending on the time sensitivity of your situation.

Simply depress the shims on both sides of the shackle in the interior of the U bend. Start by inserting your shim on the side of the shackle with less of a gap between the metal. If this method works, as soon as your shims are in place and pushed down, the shackle will release and you will no longer be locked out of your storage unit.

2. Cutting

Many of the self-storage companies will have a pair of bolt cutters in the main office that they use to remove padlocks from reclaimed storage units. As it is a good idea to confer with the business owner or manager before breaking into your own storage unit, you can request help with this method.

Even if you have the strongest padlock in the world, there is still a way to cut it open. However, you might need to use something stronger than bolt cutters. Angle grinders and other power tools with strong and sharp blades will do the best to open high-security storage locks.

3. Lock Picking

Any storage lock with a keyed cylinder can be picked open. Unfortunately, it is the most complicated method on this list, though it can still be simple when you have a lock with a low-security lock cylinder. You can make lock picks yourself to tension and rake your lock, so there will be very little you need to know about how a lock works.

Just insert your tension tool and turn it in the direction you would turn a working key. Turn the lock core slightly. Insert the other lock pick, and move the tool in and out of the lock, as well as up and down, while maintaining tension. Attempt for no more than 2 minutes, then remove tension and try again.

4. Drilling

The shackle or lock body of a storage lock can sometimes be too strong for the cutting tool you have with you, but you may have a cylinder that is vulnerable to drilling. You are not likely to see a lot of professional locksmiths drilling padlocks and other storage unit locks, but it is something that is possible to do if you have a power drill.

Line up your drill at the top of the lock cylinder (the side of the keyway that the teeth of your key would point toward), and use your smallest diameter bit to make a pilot hole. Gradually use larger bits until there is space to place a screwdriver inside the gap so the plug can be rotated.

5. Call A Locksmith

A locksmith in Los Angeles can come directly to your storage unit and provide you with these services, as well as more complicated variations. When you call a locksmith, you have the greatest number of options to unlock your storage unit.

Complicated locks can be picked if you would like to try and salvage the lock, and if the lock has drill or cutting protection, a locksmith will have workarounds for these instances. As soon as you call a Los Angeles locksmith, you no longer need to be worried about being locked out of your storage unit.

What type of storage lock is on your Los Angeles storage unit?

Most storage locks are secured with a padlock. This allows for each storage space renter to bring their own lock, so only they have access to the storage unit. But as the sole owner of a key or combination, when you are locked out of your storage unit, you cannot turn to the storage company for a spare key or combination documentation.

If your storage unit does have a spare key or recorded the combination for your lock, the problem is solved. However, this does make your storage unit far more vulnerable to theft. The more people who have unchecked access to your storage unit, the worse it is for your security, and the more convenient it is for you to get yourself out of a storage unit lockout.

Why are you locked out of your storage unit?

There are essentially two reasons why a person will find that they are locked out of their storage unit. One, that you have lost the key to your storage unit. Two, your storage lock has broken and the key no longer opens the lock.

When the lock is broken, you will need a bypass or some form of destructive entry. But when you have only lost the key to your storage unit, any solution should suffice, as long as you are comfortable with the process. Just choose the solution that works best for you.