What to know about door access control in Gilbert
Gilbert requires a sign on certain locked doors
Certain locked doors need a durable, readily visible sign on the egress side, in 1-inch letters. It reads either "THIS DOOR TO REMAIN UNLOCKED WHEN THIS SPACE IS OCCUPIED" or "THIS DOOR MUST REMAIN UNLOCKED DURING BUSINESS HOURS." Gilbert adds this to the locks-and-latches section of the 2018 International Building Code. The base code decides which doors and lock types trigger it, so we confirm each door with plan review.
Electric gates need a fire department key switch
A new electric gate across a fire apparatus access road needs an approved key switch and a pre-emption sensor. The sensor is optional for one- and two-family homes. A gated drive or service yard goes into the access plan with those two parts included.
Source: Town of Gilbert, Technical Codes (fire code 503.6.1)
Life-safety work is registered with Fire Prevention
Gilbert Fire Prevention keeps a contractor registration for life-safety systems, and its form asks for the license numbers that apply. A door release tied to a fire alarm can count as life-safety work. Before we wire a lock to an alarm panel, we ask Fire Prevention what applies.
Source: Town of Gilbert, Fire Prevention contractor registration
Codes in force today
New work follows the 2018 IBC and the 2017 NEC, effective January 1, 2020. The code table's last row is from 2021, so it may not show later changes. The Town's permits page lists 2024-based amendments as a draft, not adopted, coming soon January 2027.
What an access control system is made of
A credential (fob, card, keypad code or phone) opens a door through a reader, an electric lock or strike, and a controller that decides who gets in. Software sets the schedules and keeps the log. The lock and controller usually run from a power supply with a battery, so doors keep working when the power drops.
Lock hardware by door type
Each door gets the lock that matches its frame and the way it should behave when power is lost.
- Electric strikes fit most office and suite doors and leave the existing handle alone.
- Magnetic locks suit glass and storefront doors. They release when power is cut, so they pair with a request-to-exit device.
- Electrified panic hardware belongs on exit doors that must always open from inside.
- Gate controllers and long-range readers handle parking and service yards.
Who gets in, when, and what the log shows
You set who opens which door and at what hours. A manager gets every door, a night cleaner gets one door from 10 PM to 2 AM, and a former employee loses access the moment you remove the credential. The log records each opening by person and time, so a propped back door has a name attached.
Cloud-managed systems let you make those changes from a phone. A system on a server in your office keeps working through an internet outage. We lay out both options and match one to your building.
What different Gilbert businesses control
Offices and medical suites usually want a front-door schedule and a controlled staff entrance. Warehouses add a separate dock door and a record of who is inside. Restaurants and bars can get by with the back office, the liquor room and the staff entry on access control, which leaves guest doors alone.
We mark every door on the walkthrough list that may need Gilbert's posted sign. The sign then appears as a line in your quote and doesn't turn up on inspection day.
From door survey to live test
- We look at each door, frame, wall and cable path.
- You get a door schedule with the reader, lock and release for every door, plus a written quote.
- We install after hours or on a slow day, so no door sits unlocked overnight.
- We issue credentials, load schedules and test every door, including what it does when power is cut.
- After that we service the system Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.
Often paired with
Doors and cameras work best as one project, because security cameras show who the log says opened a door. The readers and locks also need structured cabling back to the controller. Everything else we do locally is on the Gilbert page.
