What Panic Bars Actually Do (And Why Codes Require Them)
A panic bar — also called a "crash bar," "push bar," or formally an "exit device" — is the horizontal bar across a commercial door that you push to exit. In an emergency, anyone can push the door open with their body, even in total darkness, without needing to figure out a knob or latch. That's the whole point: rapid egress in a fire, evacuation, or panic situation.
The International Building Code, fire codes, and the Americans with Disabilities Act all specify when panic hardware is required:
- Assembly occupancies (restaurants, bars, theaters, places of worship, conference rooms) with 50+ person capacity
- Educational occupancies (schools, daycare facilities)
- High-hazard occupancies (industrial, chemical storage)
- Any exit door in certain occupancy types as determined by your local fire marshal
If you've gotten a "fix or close" notice from a Washington fire inspector about your exit doors, panic hardware is almost certainly part of the fix. We can help.
Types of Panic Bars We Install
- Rim exit devices — The most common type. The latch is on the surface of the door, engaging a strike on the frame. Used on single doors and the "active" side of double doors.
- Mortise exit devices — Higher-grade hardware that sets into a pocket cut in the door edge. Premium feel, used on heavier or more demanding applications.
- Vertical-rod exit devices — Rods run up and down the door, engaging strikes at the top and (sometimes) the threshold. Used on double doors where there's no center mullion.
- Concealed vertical rod — Rods hidden inside the door for a cleaner look. More expensive, more involved to install.
- Fire-rated exit devices — UL labeled for fire-rated doors. Required on doors in fire-rated walls.
- Electrified exit devices — Can be remotely locked / unlocked, integrated with access control, or tied to fire alarms.
Brands We Install
- Von Duprin — The industry standard, used in most code-compliant buildings
- Detex — Popular for retail and storefront applications; great alarm-equipped options
- Yale, Sargent, Corbin Russwin, Falcon, Arrow — All major commercial brands
- Adams Rite — Especially for aluminum storefront doors
- Precision, Dorma, Hager — Other quality commercial options
Trim Options (The Outside Hardware)
The other side of a panic bar door has the "trim" — what people use to enter (panic bars are exit-only by themselves). Trim options include:
- Night latch / dummy trim — Pull handle, no key — door is always exit-only (people can leave but not enter from outside)
- Key-in-lever — Key entry from outside, free egress from inside
- Key-in-knob — Older style key entry, ADA-restricted
- Electronic / card reader trim — Integrated with access control for credentialed entry
Call (253) 796-8550 for a site survey and code-compliant panic bar installation quote.
