Valley guide
Can't afford a locksmith?
Money and safety are two separate questions here. A child or an animal shut inside a car or a house is a 911 call, whatever is in your wallet. For an ordinary lockout, several ways back in cost nothing.
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Ways in that cost nothing
Walk the whole house before you pay anyone. Plenty of Valley homes have a side door off the garage, a slider to the back patio, or a garage keypad that gets you into the house. After that, think about who has a spare: the neighbor who waters your plants, a relative across town, the person who walks the dog.
Renters have a built-in answer. 46% of households in the Phoenix ZIPs we chart rent (Census ACS), and the leasing office or property manager almost always keeps a key. For a car, check for roadside coverage on your auto policy, through a motor club or on a credit card, and see whether the maker's phone app can open the doors.
When to dial 911 instead
Call 911 for a child or pet locked in a vehicle, for someone inside who needs help, for a burner left on, or for any threat to you. Summer adds one more case. Sky Harbor averages 37 days a year at 110°F or above and 19 nights when the low stays at 90°F or higher (NOAA). If you are stuck outside in that, get to air conditioning, drink water, and call 911 if you feel confused or faint.
If you do need to pay someone
Three habits keep the bill down. Wait until morning if you have a safe, cool place to be, since Fixr puts the after-hours surcharge at $150 to $250. Ask for the whole price before anyone drives out, and ask if they take cards so you can dispute a bad charge later. Ask them to pick the lock rather than drill it, because a drilled lock means paying for a new one.
Questions people in Phoenix ask
Will the fire department open my house?
When a person inside needs help, call 911. That is an emergency they respond to. A plain lockout with nobody at risk is a different call, and you should plan on another way in.