Panic Bar & Exit Device Installation and Repair in Palm Beach & Broward
A back door that won't latch at closing time, a bar that sticks, outside trim that won't lock, or a new exit door that needs hardware. LockFox installs, adjusts and repairs rim, vertical rod and mortise exit devices for businesses and associations across Palm Beach and Broward County.
Types of exit devices
"Panic bar," "push bar" and "crash bar" all mean the same thing: a device that unlatches the door when pushed, so anyone can get out without a key. What differs is how and where the door latches.
Rim exit devices
The most common type. The device mounts on the inside face of the door, and its latch catches a strike mounted on the frame. Simple to install and service, and standard on single doors. On a pair of doors it usually needs a center mullion to latch against.
Surface vertical rod devices
Rods run up and down the face of the door to latches that catch at the top of the frame and in the floor. Used on pairs of doors without a mullion. Versions without a bottom rod latch only at the top, which avoids floor-strike damage in busy doorways.
Concealed vertical rod devices
Same idea, but the rods run inside the door for a cleaner look. Common on aluminum storefront and hollow metal doors. They take more work to adjust and repair because the rods and latches are inside the door.
Mortise exit devices
The device operates a mortise lock body set into a pocket in the door edge. Heavy-duty and strong-latching, a good fit for high-traffic doors, and compatible with a wide range of outside trim functions.
Narrow-stile devices are made for glass-and-aluminum storefront doors. Most devices come as a full-width crossbar or a push pad (touchbar).
Exit-only or entry too? Outside trim
The inside of an exit device always works the same way: push and go. The outside is up to you:
- Exit only: no outside hardware at all. Common on emergency exits.
- Key only (night latch): a key cylinder outside retracts the latch, and a pull opens the door.
- Key-locked lever or thumbpiece: a key sets the outside lever to locked or unlocked, handy for staff entrances.
- Passage: outside lever always works, for doors that just need to latch.
- Electrified trim or latch retraction: unlocks with a keypad, card or fob. See access control.
Dogging: holding the latch open
Dogging holds the bar down so the latch stays retracted and the door works as a simple push/pull during business hours. Most non-fire devices dog with a small hex key, and some use a key cylinder instead. The catch: someone has to undog it at closing, or the door isn't really locked.
Fire-rated doors have to latch every time they close, so fire exit hardware generally comes without mechanical dogging. If you want a fire door to open freely during the day, that's a job for electrified hardware tied to the fire alarm, where local officials allow it.
Alarmed exit devices
Alarmed devices sound a loud local alarm when someone uses the door. A key switch arms, disarms and resets the alarm. They're a common way to discourage staff shortcuts and walk-outs through emergency exits, without locking anyone in. Delayed-egress hardware is a separate category with strict requirements and usually needs approval from local officials.
Common panic bar problems
- Door won't latch. Often the door closer, sagging hinges or a strike that has shifted, not the device itself.
- Bar sticks or won't spring back. Worn or broken internal springs, or a bent bar after an impact.
- Vertical rod trouble. Bottom latches dragging or snapping off, floor strikes packed with debris, rods out of adjustment.
- Outside trim won't lock or unlock. Worn trim parts, a wrong cylinder cam, or a cylinder that needs rekeying.
- Loose device. Stripped screws in hollow or aluminum doors, fixed with proper through-bolts.
- Broken dogging, so the door won't stay unlatched during the day.
- Corrosion. Salt air is hard on exterior hardware at beachside buildings along A1A.
- Alarmed device chirping or dead. Usually the battery.
Repair or replace?
Many exit devices can be repaired with parts: springs, latches, dogging assemblies, trim or cylinders. Replacement makes sense when the device is badly damaged, parts aren't available for an older model, or you're changing function, for example adding outside key access or access control.
We look at the whole opening, including door, hinges, closer, frame and strike, before recommending a new device. A new bar on a sagging door won't latch any better than the old one.
Codes and inspections
Whether a door needs panic hardware depends on the building's use and occupancy, and the call belongs to your local fire marshal and building department. What never changes: exit doors must open from the inside without a key or special knowledge, and they should never be chained or padlocked shut. If an inspection flagged a door, text us a photo of the door and the note.
What affects the cost
- Repair with parts vs. a new device
- Device type: rim, surface or concealed vertical rod, mortise
- Door type (aluminum storefront, hollow metal, wood) and whether it's fire-rated
- Outside trim function and whether a cylinder is needed
- Alarmed or electrified options
- Related door fixes, like closer adjustment or hinge and strike work
Text a photo of the device, the brand label if you can see it, and the outside of the door. That's usually enough for us to explain the options before we come out.
Exit device service in Palm Beach & Broward
Restaurants, retail, offices, warehouses, churches, condo buildings and HOA amenities in both counties.
Panic bar & exit device FAQs
Why won't my panic bar door latch?
The most common causes are a door closer that needs adjusting, hinges that have sagged, or a strike that has moved. Worn latches and bent rods are next. We check the whole door, not just the bar.
Can you add a key or lever to the outside of an exit-only door?
Usually, yes. Many devices accept outside trim, such as a key-and-pull (night latch), a key-locked lever or electrified trim. Some older or bargain devices can't take trim and need replacing.
What is dogging, and can I dog my door?
Dogging holds the latch retracted so the door works as push/pull during business hours. Most non-fire devices can be dogged with a hex key or cylinder. Fire-rated doors must latch, so their exit hardware generally can't be mechanically dogged.
What's the difference between rim and vertical rod exit devices?
A rim device latches into a strike on the side of the frame. A vertical rod device latches at the top of the frame and often the floor. Vertical rods are used mainly on pairs of doors without a center mullion.
Can you install an alarmed exit device?
Yes. Alarmed exit devices sound a local alarm when the door is used, and a key switch arms and resets them. They discourage misuse of emergency exits without blocking the way out.
Does my business need panic hardware?
It depends on the building's use, occupancy and the specific door, and that's determined by your local fire marshal or building department. We install and repair the hardware and can match it to what an inspector has asked for.
Should I repair or replace my exit device?
If the device is in decent shape and parts are available, repair is usually the better value. Replacement makes sense for badly damaged or obsolete devices, or when you're changing how the door works.