What does deadbolt installation in Glendora actually involve?
A deadbolt is the one lock on your door that does real work against force. The latch in your knob or lever holds the door shut, but it can be slipped with a card or pried with a screwdriver. A deadbolt is a solid steel bolt that runs into the door frame and stays there until someone turns a key or thumbturn. That is the whole idea, and it is why most insurers and most sensible people want one on every exterior door.
Installing one sounds simple, and on a good door it is not complicated. The trouble is in the details: a bore hole that is a hair off, a strike plate set a sixteenth of an inch out of line, a bolt that rubs the frame in July and sticks. A deadbolt that is almost aligned is a deadbolt you will fight with every day, and eventually stop locking. Our job is to make it throw smoothly with a plain turn of the key.
This page covers deadbolt installation and deadbolt replacement for Glendora homes: adding a deadbolt where there is only a knob lock, swapping out a worn or loose one, and fitting single-cylinder or double-cylinder deadbolts. If what you really need is new keys for locks you already own, that is a different job, and we point you to lock rekeying below.
When does a Glendora home need a new or replacement deadbolt?
People usually call us for one of a handful of reasons. None of them is exotic, and knowing which one is yours helps us bring the right hardware on the first trip.
- There is no deadbolt at all. Some older doors only have a knob lock, and a latch alone is not much of a barrier.
- The existing deadbolt is worn out. The key turns hard, the thumbturn spins without moving the bolt, or the bolt only catches when you lift the door.
- The bolt does not line up anymore. Houses settle and doors sag, and a bolt that used to slide into the frame now scrapes the edge or misses the hole.
- You moved in and do not know who has keys. If the deadbolt itself is in good shape, rekeying may be the lighter-cost fix, but if it is a bargain-bin lock or visibly tired, replacing it makes more sense.
- After an attempted break-in. A kicked or pried door often has a cracked frame or a bent bolt, and the deadbolt should be replaced along with a proper strike.
- You want a different kind of lock. Maybe you want a keyed-both-sides cylinder for a door with glass, or a higher-grade bolt, or a deadbolt that will pair with a smart lock later.
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Call (213) 577-1366Single cylinder or double cylinder: which one fits your door?
A single-cylinder deadbolt has a key slot on the outside and a thumbturn on the inside. This is what most homes should have. You can lock or unlock it from inside in a second without hunting for anything, which matters enormously in a fire or any emergency.
A double-cylinder deadbolt takes a key on both sides. The reason people choose it is glass: if your door has a window or sidelight within arm's reach of the lock, a burglar can break the glass, reach through, and turn a thumbturn. With a keyed inside cylinder, that trick does not work. That is a legitimate benefit, and it is why double cylinder deadbolt installation is a common request for doors with decorative glass.
The tradeoff is real, and we will tell you plainly: if you cannot find the key in the dark, or a guest or child cannot get out quickly, a double-cylinder lock becomes a hazard. Many fire safety officials discourage keyed-both-sides locks on exit doors for that reason, and some local rules restrict them on certain types of buildings. We are not going to lecture you, but we will ask how the door is used and who lives there. If you go with double cylinder, the usual advice is to keep the key in a fixed spot near the door, out of reach from outside the glass, and never leave it in the lock while you are away.
Sometimes the better answer is a single cylinder plus a fix for the glass: a security film, a different placement, or a door with a solid panel. We will lay out the options, and you decide.
How we install or replace a deadbolt, step by step
Whether we are adding a new deadbolt or swapping an old one, the process follows the same order. Skipping steps is how you end up with a lock that sticks by next summer.
- Look at the door first. We check the material (solid wood, hollow core, steel, fiberglass), the thickness, and the condition of the frame. A deadbolt is only as strong as what it is screwed into.
- Choose the hardware with you. We go over single versus double cylinder, the grade of the lock, the finish, and whether you want it keyed to match your other locks.
- Measure the backset and bore. The backset is the distance from the door edge to the center of the lock, usually 2-3/8 or 2-3/4 inches. We confirm it before touching the door.
- Remove the old lock or drill the new holes. For a replacement, the existing holes usually work. For a new installation we cut a cross bore for the lock body and an edge bore for the bolt, using proper hole saws so the wood does not splinter.
- Install the bolt and cylinder. The bolt goes in the edge, the cylinder and thumbturn go through the face, and the tailpiece connects them. We make sure nothing binds before we tighten.
- Set the strike plate. The strike is where the bolt lands. We mortise it flush and, where the frame allows, use long screws that reach the stud behind the jamb rather than only the thin trim wood.
- Test it under real conditions. We cycle the bolt with the door open, then closed, and we check it with the door pushed and pulled, because a bolt that works only when you hold the door just so is not aligned.
- Hand over keys and explain the lock. You get your keys, a quick explanation of how it works, and, if you want, advice on strike reinforcement or other parts of the door that could be weak.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What affects the cost of deadbolt installation in Glendora?
We do not quote numbers on a web page, because a deadbolt job is not one price. What we can do is tell you what moves the cost up or down, so nothing surprises you on the phone.
The biggest factor is whether this is a replacement or a new installation. Swapping a deadbolt into holes that already exist is the lighter-cost job. Drilling a fresh door, or enlarging holes from an older lock, takes more time and materials.
- The lock itself. Builder-grade, mid-range, and high-security deadbolts differ a lot in cost and in how well they resist picking, drilling, and force. Grade matters more than finish.
- Single or double cylinder. Keyed-both-sides hardware is a specialty item and can be a bit more involved.
- Door and frame condition. A cracked jamb, a hollow door, or a damaged edge may need repair or reinforcement before a new lock will hold.
- Number of doors. Doing the front, back, and garage entry in one visit is usually the more economical route than three separate trips.
- Matching keys. Having new deadbolts keyed alike to each other, or to an existing lock, adds a little work.
- Timing and location. After-hours calls and travel distance can affect the total, and we will explain how before we start.
Deadbolts in Glendora: bungalows, foothill homes, and the Route 66 corridor
Glendora is not one kind of housing, and the right deadbolt job changes with the street. Around Glendora Village you find citrus-era bungalows, and older doors there are often thinner solid wood with a knob lock and, if you are lucky, a deadbolt somebody added decades ago. Those doors take a new deadbolt well, but the frames can be soft or worn, so strike reinforcement is often the difference between a lock that looks secure and one that is.
Up in the foothills, larger custom homes mean bigger, heavier doors and more entry points. In neighborhoods like Morgan Ranch and Gordon Highlands, we see a lot of requests that combine a new deadbolt with a rekey or a smart lock, since owners want clean hardware across several doors. If you are heading that direction, a quality deadbolt is the right base, and our smart lock installation page explains how electronic units sit on top of it. Homes in the gated communities, including Gordon Highlands and Silent Ranch Estates, still need solid locks on the house itself, because a gate at the street does not stop someone who is already inside it.
Hillside homes near Big Dalton Canyon often have garage side doors and side gates in addition to the front door. We can fit a deadbolt to a garage entry, and for the gate itself we send you to gate lock repair, since those are a different kind of hardware.
Climate matters here too. Glendora's hot, dry summers and Santa Ana wind events are hard on exterior doors. South-facing doors expand in the heat, and a bolt that was fine in March can start dragging by August. Weatherstripping wears out faster there, and in hillside homes, wind-blown dust gets into exterior locks and gums up the cylinder. We account for that when we set clearances, and we recommend a quick check of your strike alignment after a long hot stretch.
Whether your address is in 91740 or 91741, whether you are in a Village bungalow, a ranch tract in South Glendora, or an apartment along the Route 66 (Alosta Avenue) corridor, the process is the same: match the lock to the door, then align it carefully. Our storefront is at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, roughly 37 miles from Glendora, and our mobile vans do the work at your door.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What makes a deadbolt actually hold up?
Not all deadbolts are equal, and the box can be misleading. Three things decide how it performs when someone tries to defeat it.
First is the grade. Residential locks are rated by ANSI/BHMA, with Grade 1 the strongest, Grade 2 in the middle, and Grade 3 the lightest. For a front door, we generally suggest Grade 2 or better. If you want to see what the upper end looks like, our page on high-security locks covers pick-resistant and drill-resistant cylinders.
Second is the bolt. A one-inch throw is a common standard, and a hardened steel insert inside the bolt makes it much harder to saw through. Cheap bolts can be hollow or soft.
Third, and most overlooked, is the strike and the frame. Most break-ins on a locked door are kicks, not picks. If the strike plate is held by short screws into thin trim, one hard kick can split the jamb. Long screws into the framing and a reinforced strike do more for your security than upgrading the lock alone.
This is why we do not just sell you a lock and leave. A good deadbolt in a weak frame is only half a solution, and we will tell you if your door needs more than the lock.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for a deadbolt?
We have been in business since 1987, serving 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and Glendora is one of them. That is a long time to have learned what goes wrong with doors.
We are one company. When you call (213) 577-1366, you reach our own team, not a call center that sells your job to whoever picks it up. We have a real storefront in Westwood and mobile service vans, so the work is done by our people, not a subcontractor you have never heard of.
David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work. If something about your door looks off, a question comes up that needs a judgment call, or you want to know whether a double cylinder is wise for your setup, that is the level of attention the job gets.
We answer the phone around the clock, every day of the year. If a deadbolt fails or a door is damaged at night, you can reach us then, and our emergency locksmith service is built for that. If you are simply locked out while you wait on a new lock, see house lockout.
How to check any locksmith before they drill your door
California requires locksmith companies to hold a license from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, known as a BSIS LCO license. Ask any locksmith, including us, for the license number, and you can look it up with the state. A real company will give it to you without hesitation.
A few other things are worth watching for. Be wary of anyone who will not tell you the company name when they answer, or who quotes a suspiciously low figure by phone and then changes it at your door. Ask what lock brand and grade they plan to install. Ask whether the price includes the strike plate and any door work. And if someone wants to drill out a perfectly good lock when a simpler fix would do, ask why.
If you are weighing a bigger job, such as changing locks throughout the house, our pages on lock installation and lock replacement show how we handle the full set.
Frequently asked questions
Can you install a deadbolt on a door that does not have one?
Yes, in most cases. We check the door material and thickness, then drill a cross bore and edge bore and install the bolt and strike. Hollow-core doors and very thin doors are not good candidates, and we will tell you if the door itself should be replaced instead.
What is the difference between deadbolt installation and deadbolt replacement?
Installation means cutting new holes in a door that has no deadbolt. Replacement means swapping a worn or unwanted deadbolt into holes that already exist. Replacement is generally the quicker, lighter-cost job, as long as the existing holes are the right size and the door is sound.
Is a double cylinder deadbolt a good idea for my front door?
It depends on the door. It makes sense when there is glass near the lock, since a burglar cannot reach through and turn a thumbturn. But you need a key to get out, which can be dangerous in a fire. We will talk through your household and the door before recommending it.
Do I need a deadbolt if I already have a good knob lock?
Yes, a deadbolt adds a separate, stronger point of security. A knob lock's latch can often be slipped or forced, while a deadbolt's solid bolt resists both. The two are meant to work together on every exterior door.
Can you match the new deadbolt to my existing keys?
Often, yes. If the brand and keyway allow, we can key the new deadbolt to work with the lock already on your door, so you carry one key. If you would rather start fresh, we can key all the locks alike to a new key instead.
Will a new deadbolt work with a smart lock later?
Many deadbolts can be paired with an electronic unit or swapped for one, as long as the door preparation is standard. If you think you might go that way, tell us up front and we will choose hardware that will not box you in.
My deadbolt sticks in the summer heat. Do I need a new one?
Not always. Heat expansion on sun-facing doors can shift alignment, and wind-blown dust can gum up a cylinder. Sometimes the strike just needs adjusting or the lock needs cleaning. If the lock is worn or the door has dropped, replacement is the better path, and we will say which one it is.
Can you put a deadbolt on a garage side door or a hillside entry?
Yes. Garage entries and side doors are common jobs, including on hillside homes. The same rules apply: check the door and frame, pick the right bolt, and align the strike. Gates are separate hardware, so those go under our gate lock work.
What should I do if my deadbolt fails while I am locked out at night?
Call (213) 577-1366 any hour. We answer around the clock, and we can get you in and then deal with the lock itself, whether that means repair or a new deadbolt. Avoid forcing the door, since that usually adds frame damage to the cost.
More locksmith help in Glendora
Deadbolt Installation near Glendora
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.