Panic Bar Installation & Repair
Panic bars, crash bars, push bars and exit devices installed, repaired and adjusted so they work when they need to.
Panic bar, crash bar, push bar and exit device all describe the same thing: the horizontal bar that lets people out of a building by pushing, without needing a key or a handle. Different names, same hardware.
It is also the piece of hardware on a commercial building that most needs to work on the one day it matters, and the one most often ignored until it does not.
What we do
- Installation on doors that need one fitting, including doors currently on standard hardware.
- Repair on units that have stopped latching, stopped releasing cleanly, or started sticking.
- Replacement where a unit is worn beyond repair.
- Adjustment, which is often all that is actually needed.
- Related hardware, including exit alarms, electric strikes and the door closers that work alongside them.
Signs one needs attention
- The door has to be shoved or lifted before the bar releases.
- The bar releases but the door does not latch behind it.
- It rattles, or the latch does not sit properly in the strike.
- Staff have started propping the door instead of using it.
- The bar has visible wear or a section has come loose.
That fourth one is worth paying attention to. When people start propping a door open rather than using the hardware, the hardware has already failed in practice even if it technically still works.
Not latching is a security problem
A panic bar that releases but does not latch behind itself leaves the door effectively unlocked. It looks closed from the outside. Rear exits and fire doors are where this happens most, because nobody uses them daily and nobody notices.
Worth checking the rear doors of your building the same way you would check the front.
Fire code
Whether your building is required to have exit devices, and on which doors, depends on the occupancy type, the number of people, and the local code. Your fire marshal or building inspector is the authority on that, not a locksmith and not a website.
What we can tell you is whether the hardware you currently have is working correctly, what condition it is in, and what your options are if it is not.
Common questions
What is the difference between a panic bar and a crash bar?
Nothing. Panic bar, crash bar, push bar and exit device are all names for the same hardware. Exit device is the term the trade uses most.
Do I legally need one on my door?
It depends on the building, its occupancy and the local fire code, so your fire marshal or building inspector is the authority. We can tell you what condition your existing hardware is in and what the options are.
Our bar works but the door does not latch. Is that urgent?
Yes. A door that releases but does not latch is effectively unlocked while looking closed. It is a common problem on rear exits and it is usually fixable with an adjustment rather than a replacement.
Can you add a panic bar to a door that has a normal handle?
Usually yes, depending on the door and frame. Tell us what the door is made of and what is on it now, and a photo helps more than a description.
Can the door still be locked from the outside?
Yes. Exit devices let people out freely from inside while the outside stays locked, which is the whole point of them.
Can you work outside business hours?
Yes. Work on an entrance or exit is often better done before opening or after closing.
Communities we serve
Get Panic Bar Installation & Repair in Columbus
Call if it is urgent. Send a request if you want a quote first.