About Area Safe & Lock Service

Our residential locksmith services cover a wide range of solutions, including installation of new locks, rekeying existing locks, duplicating keys, repairing malfunctioning locks, installing smart lock systems, and fitting deadbolts. We also provide emergency lockout assistance for homeowners who find themselves locked out of their properties.

For our commercial customers, we offer a comprehensive suite of services. This includes installation of high-security commercial-grade locks, implementation of master key systems for businesses, key duplication for commercial properties, and rekeying services to enhance security for commercial establishments.

For most homes, rekeying is the right call: we change the pins inside your existing locks so old keys — the previous owner's, their contractors', anyone's — no longer work, without replacing the hardware. Replacement makes sense when locks are worn or low quality, or when you want to upgrade to high-security or smart locks. We'll tell you honestly which your doors actually need.

In most cases, yes. We open safes by manipulation first — drilling only if necessary, and when it is, we drill small, precise, repairable openings rather than destroying the door. Depending on the safe, the lock can then be replaced and the safe repaired. We service everything from home safes to GSA-approved government containers with X-09 and X-10 locks.

Yes. The smart locks we install run on batteries, not house power, and the mechanical parts keep working even when Wi-Fi is down — you only lose remote features until it's back. Most models warn you well before the batteries die, and most keep a physical key backup.

A keying plan where one key opens many doors while individual keys open only their own — a property manager carries one key, and each resident's key opens only their unit. We design, install, and document master key systems for condo buildings, offices, and schools, and we can bring old, undocumented systems back under control.

Don't dig at it with tweezers or glue — that usually pushes the fragment deeper or damages the cylinder. Call us: we extract broken keys with proper tools, usually without harming the lock, and can cut a replacement key on the spot.

We're based at 3301 Mt. Vernon Ave in Alexandria, Virginia. We serve Washington, DC, Northern Virginia — Alexandria, Arlington, Springfield, Fairfax, and surrounding communities — and the Maryland suburbs.

Yes — always. Every charge is communicated and agreed to before any work begins, whether it's a scheduled job or an emergency. Attaching photos of your lock, door, or safe to your service request — or texting them to (703) 684-6161 — helps us give you a faster, more accurate estimate.

At Area Safe & Lock Service, we ensure that all potential additional charges are clearly communicated and discussed with our clients before any work begins. This approach eliminates surprises and ensures our customers are fully informed about the cost of our services.

We strive to offer convenient payment options for our customers. Currently, we accept payments in the form of cash, credit cards, and personal checks.

Look for a real local address and verifiable license numbers — ours are DCJS Va. #11-5697 and MD DLLR #238. Be wary of very low quoted prices that jump once work starts, unmarked vehicles, and companies that won't discuss pricing up front. Area Safe & Lock Service has operated from the same Alexandria neighborhood for over 55 years, and the technician who arrives is our employee, never a subcontractor.