What does access control installation involve for a Covina business?
Access control swaps the metal key for a credential: a code, a card, a fob, or sometimes a phone. The hardware on the door decides who gets in, and the system can schedule or record that. For a small shop it may be one keypad on a back door. For an office or a multi-tenant building it may be several doors on one system, with each person carrying their own credential.
The real value is control you can change without rekeying. When an employee leaves, you cancel one credential instead of chasing down keys or changing cylinders. When a cleaning crew needs evenings only, you set that schedule once. That is what people mean when they search for employee access control or credential-based entry.
It is not always the right answer, and we will say so. A back office used by three people who never change is often better served by a solid mechanical lock, which our commercial locksmith service covers. We would rather fit the system to the door than sell you more than the door needs.
Which hardware works for which door?
Most business access control systems are built from a few parts. Choosing between them depends on the door, the frame, and how many people use it.
- Keypad access control: a keypad that takes a code, either built into a lock or wired to a controller. It suits storerooms, back doors, and small crews. The weakness is that codes get shared, so we set up individual codes wherever the hardware allows it.
- Card and key fob readers: a key card entry system or key fob access control gives each person their own credential. A lost card is disabled on its own, with no rekeying. This is the usual choice for employee access control.
- Electric strike installation: the strike plate in the door frame is replaced with one that releases electrically. Your existing lock stays on the door. It needs a door and frame that line up and latch cleanly.
- Magnetic lock installation: an electromagnet on the frame holds a plate on the door while powered and lets go when power is cut. It is common on glass and aluminum doors where cutting a new lock preparation is impractical, but it has code requirements we cover below.
- Battery-powered reader locks: for a single door where running wire is not realistic. If you are really after a home-style smart lock, see our smart lock installation page instead.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What about multi-door access control?
Once you have more than two or three doors, a controller becomes worth it. It holds the list of users and the schedules, and every reader reports to it. You add or remove a person in one place and it applies to every door that person is allowed through.
Multi-door systems are also where planning matters most. Cable runs, power supplies, and door-by-door lock choices all affect each other. If you also need mechanical keys that work in a hierarchy alongside the electronic system, that is a master key system question, and we plan the two together so they do not fight each other.
How does an access control installation work, step by step?
Every job is different, but the order is nearly always the same.
- Walk the doors. We look at the door material, the frame, the hinges, the closer, how the door latches, who uses it, and where power could come from.
- Choose the credential and the lock type for each door. A fire-rated wood door and a glass storefront door rarely want the same hardware.
- Plan the wiring and power. We decide where the controller and power supply live, how cable routes through walls or ceilings, and whether a backup battery makes sense.
- Install. That means frame preparation for a strike or mounting for a maglock, the reader or keypad, the exit device, and the wiring.
- Program. We enter users, credentials, and schedules, and set the door behavior you asked for.
- Test every door. We check normal entry, exit, what happens when power drops, and whether the door closer lets the door latch fully every time. Then we show you how to add and remove credentials yourself.
What affects the cost of access control installation in Covina?
We do not quote numbers on a web page because two doors that look the same can be very different jobs. Here is what actually moves the price:
- Number of doors: each door needs its own lock hardware, reader, and wiring.
- Door and frame type: wood, hollow metal, and glass or aluminum storefront doors each take different hardware and different labor.
- Wiring distance and difficulty: a controller close to the door is simple. A long run through finished walls or a concrete block is not.
- Lock type: a strike, a maglock, and an electrified lockset each have different parts and different prep work.
- Credential type: codes only, cards, fobs, or a mix, and how many credentials you need on day one.
- Software and management: a simple standalone setup costs less than a networked system with schedules and reports across several doors.
- Power and backup: battery backup and a properly sized power supply add parts but protect you in an outage.
- Condition of what is already there: a door that sags or a frame that is out of square must be corrected first, or the new hardware will not work reliably.
- Existing equipment: sometimes old wiring and readers can be reused. Sometimes they cannot, and we will tell you which.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366How does access control fit Covina's businesses and buildings?
Covina is spread across three ZIP codes, 91722, 91723, and 91724, and the buildings are very different from block to block. We work from Westwood, about 32 miles away, so we plan the visit carefully and bring the right parts rather than guess.
In the Downtown Covina Citrus Avenue district, the scenario we see most is the storefront or restaurant. Front doors usually stay on a key or a simple lock, while the back door and the storeroom are where a keypad or card reader earns its place: staff come and go, deliveries arrive, and you do not want a shared key on a hook. Some of the buildings near downtown are early-20th-century construction with older wood doors, and heat can make those doors bind seasonally. That matters for access control, because an electric strike only works if the door latches cleanly. We check and correct the fit before we fit electronics, and our commercial door hardware work often goes hand in hand with it.
Along the Arrow Highway corridor and parts of the Azusa Avenue corridor, apartment complexes call for something different: shared entry doors, laundry and package rooms, and a way to deactivate a credential when a tenant moves out. If you manage rentals, our locksmith for landlords page covers the wider picture. The Badillo Street corridor brings the same questions for small offices and retail. In Covina Hills, larger semi-rural lots often have gated driveways. A keypad or fob reader on a gate is a different problem from a door, with weather, power, and gate motor concerns, and gate hardware problems are covered under gate lock repair.
What about fire code, safety, and power failures?
This is where access control can be done badly, so we are direct about it. People must be able to leave a building without special knowledge or effort. That shapes every lock choice.
A magnetic lock releases when power is lost, which is good for exit but means the door is unlocked during an outage. It also needs a way to release on request, such as a request-to-exit device, and usually a release tied to the fire alarm. An electric strike can be set to stay locked or unlocked on power loss, and that choice depends on the door and what the building needs. Exit doors in many commercial spaces also call for hardware like a panic bar, which we cover under panic bar installation.
Requirements can vary by building type and occupancy, and the fire authority or building department may have the final say on your door. We will lay out what we recommend and why, and flag anything that should be confirmed with them before we install.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Can you repair or upgrade an existing access control system?
Yes. Access control repair is a large part of our work, and the cause is often simpler than the owner expects. Common problems include:
- A strike that has drifted out of alignment so the latch no longer catches.
- A door closer that is too weak or too strong, so the door never fully latches or slams the frame.
- A failed power supply or a dead backup battery.
- A reader that has been damaged by weather, impact, or a worn cable.
- Credentials that no longer match the controller after someone changed settings.
Is an access control upgrade worth it?
Sometimes. If your current system is a code everyone knows, upgrading to individual credentials is a clear security gain. If you have an older proprietary system that the original installer no longer supports, replacing the controller and readers may be the more economical route over time. If the wiring and door hardware are sound, we reuse what we can.
If you are locked out of a business door because of an access control failure, that is an urgent call. Our business lockout service handles that, and the system repair follows once you are back inside.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for access control?
We have been in business since 1987, with a storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood and mobile service vans that serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, including Covina. You deal with one company, not a dispatch service passing your job to whoever is free. David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work.
Access control is a place where you should ask questions. California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, and you should ask any company for its license number before work begins. Ask what happens to the door when the power drops, who owns the programming, and whether you can add credentials without calling anyone. Those answers tell you a lot about the installer.
How do I get started?
Call (213) 577-1366 any time, day or night, every day of the year. Tell us how many doors, what kind of doors they are, and what is not working today. Photos of the door, the frame, and the existing lock help. We will tell you what we would do, what could change the price, and whether a simpler fix would serve you better.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an electric strike and a magnetic lock?
An electric strike replaces the plate in the frame and works with the lock already on your door. A magnetic lock holds the door shut with an electromagnet and releases when power is cut. Strikes need a door that latches well. Maglocks suit glass doors but need request-to-exit and fire-release provisions.
Can I use key fobs or cards instead of a code?
Yes. Cards and key fobs give each person a separate credential, so a lost one can be disabled alone. Codes are simpler, but they tend to be shared. Many businesses use a keypad for low-risk doors and cards or fobs for the main ones.
Can you put access control on my existing doors?
Usually, yes, after we inspect them. The door and frame must be sound, aligned, and able to take the hardware. In older Covina buildings, a wood door that binds in the summer heat may need correcting first, or the new hardware will not work reliably.
How much does commercial access control cost in Covina?
It depends on the number of doors, the door and frame types, wiring difficulty, the lock type, the credentials you want, and whether you need software management or backup power. We will not guess before seeing the doors, but we can explain how each factor affects the cost on the phone.
What happens to my doors if the power goes out?
It depends on how we set them up. Maglocks release on power loss, and strikes can be set to stay locked or unlocked. We choose based on the door and the building, and a backup battery can keep the system working through a short outage. We test this before we leave.
Can you manage several doors from one system?
Yes. A controller keeps one list of users and schedules across all doors, so adding or removing someone is a single change. We plan the cable runs and power supplies for the whole system before installing any single door.
Do you repair access control systems you did not install?
Often, yes. Many failures come from misaligned strikes, weak door closers, dead power supplies, or damaged readers. If a system is no longer supported or the parts are unavailable, we will tell you plainly and explain the replacement options.
Do I need a permit or fire approval for access control?
It can depend on the building and the doors involved, especially for exit doors and magnetic locks. We will flag anything that should be confirmed with the building department or fire authority and design the system so people can always leave safely.
Do you handle gate access in Covina Hills?
We can advise on keypad and fob entry for gates. Gates add weather, motor, and power concerns, so we look at the gate in person first. Existing gate hardware problems fall under our gate lock repair service.
More locksmith help in Covina
Access Control Installation near Covina
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.