Is Your Safe Jammed? Here’s What to Do

Safes provide businesses and homes with unparalleled level of protection for your most important assets, cash, documents, and valuables. However, that same great security protection can keep you effectively locked out if something goes wrong with your safe’s locking mechanism. While uncommon, safes do become jammed from time to time, has seen a lot of use. This can be an unexpected and frustrating situation. If you’ve tried to open your safe with your key or combination, and the safe refuses to budge, read on to see the best steps to take next.

Older safes that haven’t been properly maintained are the most susceptible to becoming jammed, but occasionally, newer safes can have manufacturing defects or other problems that cause the safe not to open. There may be no sign of a problem before the safe one day jams with no warning. However, it’s still important to inspect the working parts occasionally for any visible issues. Have any damage repaired as soon as it occurs. If you’re safe is older than ten years, it would be a good idea to consider talking to locksmith about upgrading to a newer model. Newer safes are manufacturing in a way that problems are less likely, while being highly secure and having customizable features, such as removable shelves.

For now, let’s discuss what you should do when you realize that you can’t get into your safe. This advice applies to both home and business safes.

What Not to Do

Let’s start off with what not to do. Although you may be tempted or impulsive, don’t try to force the door open or use tools like a hammer to break the lock. That will destroy your safe, which may not be necessary, and might even cause you injury if you hit your hand accidentally. While this may seem like common sense, sometimes when people get desperate they don’t act rationally. No matter what may be inside of your safe and how quickly you need it, it’s always best not to resort to these desperate tactics. Talk a deep breath and stay calm before proceeding.

Once you’ve calmed down and gotten a clear head, you can try the following methods to see whether or not you can get the safe unjammed yourself. Occasionally, all that’s needed is the right trick to kick the mechanism loose. It’s important to keep your safe maintained and in good condition and to pay attention to any signs of problems before they result in your safe getting jammed. If you notice any trouble with your safe, such as difficulty opening or the lock sticking, contact a professional for assistance before the problem gets too serious.

Assess Your Safe

When you’re facing a safe that appears to be jammed, the first thing you should do is assess what type of safe it is and what form of locking mechanism it uses. You may know this off the top of your head or need to research the safe to find out more information. Most safes display a serial number on the outside that can be used to look up the make, model, and other pertinent information. Since you probably won’t be able to determine what’s causing the problem because it’s inside, you’ll have to rely on trial and error. Most home safes are less structurally sound than commercial safes.

Try Different Methods

If you have a combination safe, assess whether or not you’re inputting the correct number. If that seems to be the case but the lock won’t open, try gently hitting the edges of the safe on the side opposite to the hinges. At the same time, pull persistently on the handle. If you can turn the handle part of the way but not all of the way, that probably means that something inside has fallen out of alignment. To potentially correct this problem, try jiggling the handle back and forth without forcing it too hard, which may damage the parts inside. You can also try pushing the handle in and pulling it back. Sometimes this is enough to get the parts inside moving again. Remember, don’t use too much excessive force on the safe, especially one that’s not made to withstand brute force.

Another problem that you can attempt to diagnose is whether or not your combination numbers have shifted. While uncommon, this is not unheard of in older or flawed locks. Try adjusting the numbers you usually put in by adding one to either the right or left. This may sometimes solve the problem, although if you do manage to get the same open this way, the combination will need to be adjusted or replaced by a locksmith.

If your safe uses an electronic lock, it could be a matter of the batteries being dead in the input mechanism. Try replacing the batteries and see if that works. Another potential issue with electronic locks is damage to the wiring that runs from the lock to the