Panic bars & storefront locks

Two pieces of hardware fail more than anything else in commercial buildings: the panic bar on the rear exit and the storefront lock on the customer-facing door. Both get cycled hundreds of times a week, both have life-safety implications, and both are easy to over- or under-spec.

Panic bars (exit devices)

Panic bars allow free egress in an emergency without a key, knob, or special knowledge. They're required by code on most occupied commercial spaces, especially in restaurants, assembly spaces, and any room with a certain occupant load.

Types we work on

• Rim panic bars — most common; latches into a strike on the frame.
• Vertical-rod (surface or concealed) — for double doors or doors that need top-and-bottom latching.
• Mortise panic devices — heavier-duty, used in higher-traffic settings.
• Touch bars vs cross bars — both fine; choice depends on the door style.

What we do with them

• Install new panic bars on doors that don't have them and need them.
• Replace failed bars (Von Duprin, Detex, Yale, Sargent, and aftermarket equivalents).
• Adjust sticky bars that don't latch cleanly.
• Convert a passage door to an exit-only door with an outside trim cylinder so you can re-enter with a key.
• Pair panic bars with electric strikes or magnetic locks for after-hours access control.

Storefront locks

The aluminum-framed glass doors on most retail and restaurant fronts use a specific category of hardware: storefront mortise locks (often called "MS locks" — Adams Rite is the dominant brand). They look simple but they're picky about adjustment.

Common storefront issues

• Hook bolt won't engage the strike (alignment problem, often after door sag).
• Cylinder spinning in the door — set screw came loose.
• Key turns but the bolt doesn't throw — broken tailpiece inside the lock.
• Weather has bound up the lock body — usually serviceable.
• Mismatched cylinders across multiple doors — we can rekey them all to one key.

Code & safety notes

A few things worth knowing if you run a business with public access:

• Free egress — exit doors must open without keys, knobs, or unlatching anything other than a single operation. Padlocks on the inside of an exit door during business hours are a fire-marshal violation almost everywhere.
• Single-action egress — one motion (pushing the bar) must release the door. Multiple latches that need separate releases are a problem.
• Don't dog the bar open during business hours unless your AHJ approves — it leaves the door propped and unsecured.

If a fire marshal flagged something, send us a photo of the door and we'll usually know exactly what they want changed.