How to open a door locked from inside

scenario

I had to feel sorry for a customer in north Edinburgh this month. I Got a phone call  from a man asking if I could open a door locked from inside -his bathroom door! he was stuck inside the toilet and had tried everything to get the door open. eventually he gave in and phoned some emergency locksmiths in Edinburgh.

When I got out his family were outside the bathroom door laughing at the pickle he’d found himself in. his friends had also got wind of what had happened and were phoning his mobile to wynd him up.  The problem with his situation was the lock was a door security bolt which is

Door security bolt often fitted to internal doors

Morticed inside the door and locks into the door frame. There was no keyhole on the outside of the door and his bathroom was on the first floor of the house. So there was nothing I could do unless he wanted me to force open his door with a crowbar- not ideal because that could damage the door and the frame.

How to open a door security bolt

Door security bolts are not high security locks but they serve a purpose for internal doors such as bathrooms and bedrooms. These door security bolts are easy to fit and are relatively cheap at around £10 for a pack of 2.

I decided the best course of action would be to use a method i learnt a few years ago from another Edinburgh locksmith. I would go outside and throw a rope through the bathroom window. I could then put all the tools in a bag and attach it to the rope, which could then be lifted into the bathroom. I would then guide him through the process of how to open a door locked from inside a bathroom. When I was passing the tools up outside, the neighbours in the next garden were laughing, they seemed to think he could open the door with a credit card – which would not have worked on this type of lock!

The tools i passed up to open a door locked from inside was a wedging tool and a hacksaw blade. I then went back in the house and up stairs to outside the toilet door. I told the man to open the door he would need to put the wedging tool (you could also use a large screwdriver) into the gap between the door and the frame and wedge open a big enough space so he could see the bolt of the lock. I told him to keep this gap between the door and the frame by holding the wedging tool in place with his hip. I then told him to pick up the hacksaw blade and start sawing through the bolt.

After a good 10 minutes he eventually cut through the lock! We both had a giggle when the door was opened. He was sweating from the effort needed to get through the bolt, but just relieved to be out. I decided Because he did all the work getting the door open I gave him a free lock to replace the faulty one.

If you ever need advice on opening a lock, contact one of the many reputable locksmiths in Edinburgh who will happily help you out.