Mobile Locksmith · Phoenix & the Valley
Panic Bar and Exit Device Installation and Repair
A panic bar, also called an exit device or panic hardware, is the push bar on an emergency exit door. Pressing it pulls the latch back so anyone can leave without a key, a tool or any special knowledge. We install, adjust and repair panic bars on offices, shops, restaurants, warehouses and schools across Phoenix and the Valley.
If you need panic bar repair in Phoenix, the cause is often the door, the strike or a worn part inside the device, not the bar you push. Below: how exit devices are built, what each type and function means, what typically goes wrong and what a proper installation includes. Call (602) 301-5243 Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm, and tell us what the door is doing.
What an exit device does
An exit device has a push bar (the touchpad) on the inside of the door, one or more latches that hold the door shut, and trim on the outside, such as a lever, a pull or nothing at all. The latch catches in a strike, the metal plate on the frame. Push the bar and the latch retracts. Let go and it springs back out.
Two things set an exit device apart from an ordinary lock. It releases with one push and no key. And the outside does not control it: the trim and cylinder decide who can come in, but the bar always lets people out.
The four mounting types
Three-point versions combine a rim latch with top and bottom rods. The type decides the parts and strikes.
Narrow stile and wide stile
The stile is the vertical edge of the door where the hardware mounts. Aluminum storefront doors often have a narrow stile and need a narrow-stile device made to fit it. Steel and wood doors usually have a wider stile.
The minimum stile width belongs to the model. In one major manufacturer’s catalog, for example, the narrow-stile rim device needs about 3-1/2 inches of stile and the wide-stile rim device about 4 inches. Other makers differ, so we measure the stile before we choose or order anything. Hardware for aluminum and glass doors is covered on our storefront door locks page.
Panic hardware and fire exit hardware
Panic hardware is listed to a UL standard (UL 305) that covers how it releases. Fire exit hardware is panic hardware that has also passed a fire test (UL 10C), so it can be used on a fire-rated door. Fire exit hardware usually shows an F in the model number, such as a -F suffix on Von Duprin 98/99 numbers or an F prefix on Falcon models.
The difference shows up in daily use. Standard panic hardware can usually be dogged, which means held open with a key or hex tool. Fire exit hardware generally cannot be dogged mechanically, because a fire door has to latch every time it closes. A door with a fire label on its edge needs fire-rated hardware.
A new device has to match the door’s label, and latching on a fire door must never be defeated. The fire marshal or building inspector, the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), decides whether an opening passes. Our job is to make the hardware do what the door requires.
Functions in plain words
The function says how the outside of the door behaves. These names come from manufacturer catalogs, and options vary by brand and model.
Dogging, trim and cylinders
Dogging
Dogging holds the push bar down so the latch stays retracted. The door then opens from outside without a key. Some businesses use it to keep an exit door working as an entrance by day. Most devices are dogged with a small hex key. Some use a key cylinder.
Whether a door may be dogged is up to the fire marshal. The risk in practice is a door left dogged at closing time, which stays unlatched all night. Some models show a red indicator when dogged.
Trim and cylinder
Trim is the outside piece: a lever, knob, thumbpiece, fixed pull or blank plate. The cylinder is the keyed part. We can rekey it to your existing keys or fit it to a key system.
A common ordering mistake is a cylinder that does not match the device. Length and cam are brand specific. One maker’s cylinder dogging uses a 1-1/8 inch mortise cylinder with a standard cam, while another’s calls for a 1-1/4 inch cylinder with an inverted cam. Battery keypad trim, which gives PIN entry without wiring, is also made to fit several brands of exit device. See access control systems for how that fits a larger plan.
Brands and model families
Von Duprin, Falcon and Sargent are common on commercial doors, and you may also find Adams Rite, Detex, Precision, Yale or Dorma devices. Parts, trim and cylinders do not swap between makers, so the exact model matters. A photo of the device and its label is the fastest way to tell us what you have.
Common problems and typical causes
These are typical field causes, not a diagnosis. We confirm on the door before replacing anything, because the cause is often the door, not the device.
Alarmed, delayed egress and electrified devices add power and wiring. If the fault is in the power supply, the wiring or a fire alarm tie-in, part of the repair may belong to an electrician or alarm contractor, and we will say so. Heat and sun may make sag more likely on large exterior doors, so a door that latched in spring can stop latching in summer. Tell us when the trouble started.
What a proper installation involves
- Survey the door and frameDoor material and thickness, stile width, glass, swing, single or pair, hinges and closer. The device is chosen to fit the door, not the other way around.
- Choose type, function and trimMounting type, fire rating, outside trim, cylinder, and whether it will be dogged, alarmed or electrified.
- Fix the door firstCheck the hinges, any sag and the closer. A new device on a door that drops or will not close fails like the old one.
- Prepare and mountMark and cut from the manufacturer’s template. Devices are typically supplied for 1-3/4 inch doors. Hollow or light-gauge doors usually take sex bolts, and glass lites call for shims. One catalog gives a standard centerline of about 40 inches above the floor.
- Set the strikePosition it so the latch enters the center of the opening and the door pulls in snug.
- Fit trim and cylinderInstall the trim, set dogging if it is allowed, and key the cylinder to your system.
- Test itPush the bar with one hand and no key. Confirm the door closes and latches by itself, then test any alarm or electrified function.
Egress basics, in general terms
These are general points, not legal advice. Your fire marshal or building inspector, the authority having jurisdiction, decides what applies to your doors.
- One operation, no special knowledge. An exit door has to open from inside with one motion, without a key, a tool or knowing a trick.
- Who needs panic hardware. Model building codes commonly require it on swinging exit doors serving assembly and educational spaces above an occupant-load threshold (50 people in the International Building Code, a higher number in NFPA 101), and on some high-hazard spaces. Cities adopt and amend building codes locally, and Phoenix has its own building code, so the answer for your building comes from the local fire marshal or building official.
- Height and force. The bar has to sit within a set height range, commonly cited as 34 to 48 inches above the floor, and release with limited force. Accessibility rules can set a lower force limit on some interior doors.
Schools, stores and related hardware
For schools, see our school locksmith page and the school door security checklist. For stores and kitchens, see restaurants and retail. A door that will not close by itself is a door closer job, and a door that unlocks for a keypad or card reader is covered under electric strikes and electrified locks. More hardware is listed on our door hardware page.
A simple repair, such as adjusting a latch or a strike, is priced on the phone. For a new installation or several doors, we look at the doors first and agree on the price before work starts. Start on the commercial quote page.
- The brand and model on the device, or photos of the bar, the end cap and any label
- Photos of the whole door, the door edge, the strike on the frame and the outside trim
- What the door does: sticks, will not latch, alarms, or leaves the door open
- Door material (glass and aluminum, steel or wood) and, if you can measure it, the stile width
- Whether the door has a fire label on its edge
- Whether the device is wired to a keypad, card reader, buzzer or alarm
- Whether a door closer is fitted and closes the door fully
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between panic hardware and fire exit hardware?
Fire exit hardware is panic hardware that has also passed a fire test, so it can go on a fire-rated door. Both are listed to a UL standard for how they release, and fire exit hardware adds a second listing for fire. Fire exit hardware generally cannot be dogged mechanically, because a fire door must latch whenever it closes. Model numbers often carry an F to show the difference.
Does my business need panic hardware?
It depends on how the space is used, how many people it holds and which code your city enforces. Model building codes commonly require panic hardware on swinging exit doors in assembly and educational spaces above an occupant-load threshold, and in some high-hazard spaces. Your fire marshal or building official decides for your building. If you are unsure, send us photos and we will tell you what hardware is on the door today.
Can the outside of an exit door be locked while the push bar still works?
Yes, and that is how most exit devices are used. The trim and cylinder control who can come in from outside, while the bar always lets people out without a key. What you cannot do is make the inside need a key, a tool or special knowledge. If a door must open from outside during the day, common options are an unlocked trim or dogging, where the fire marshal allows it, or an electric release.
Why will my panic bar not latch?
The usual causes are dogging left on, a worn latch spring, a strike that no longer lines up with the latch, or a door that has sagged on worn hinges. On vertical rod devices, displaced rod guides are another cause. We check the door and hinges first, because moving the strike to suit a sagging door only hides the problem. A door that will not latch is a security problem, and on a fire door a life-safety one.
Can you rekey a panic bar or change its cylinder?
Usually, yes. The key cylinder on an exit device can be rekeyed to your existing keys or changed to fit a key system. The catch is that cylinder length and cam differ by brand and by position, such as night latch versus dogging, so we identify the exact device first. Photos of the device and its trim help.
What is the difference between narrow stile and wide stile?
The stile is the vertical edge of the door that holds the hardware. Narrow-stile exit devices are made for slim doors, such as aluminum storefront doors, and wide-stile devices for wider steel or wood doors. Each model lists a minimum stile width, so we measure before ordering. A device that is too wide for the stile cannot be mounted properly.
Can you add a keypad or electric unlocking to an existing exit device?
Often, but it depends on the exact model. Battery keypad trims are made to fit several brands, and some devices accept electric latch retraction so a card reader, keypad or buzzer can release the latch from outside. The bar still lets people out. Tell us the brand and model and we will say what your device can take.
Related commercial services
Talk to the locksmith who does the work.
Call (602) 301-5243, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm. For bigger projects we look at the doors first and agree on the price before any work starts.
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