Panic Bar Installation
in Pacoima

Is a panic bar actually required by code on my Pacoima door?

It depends on occupancy and headcount, but for most assembly and many commercial occupancies in LA, an exit serving a room with high public traffic must open without a key, key-knob, or any special knowledge. That is exactly what trips up shops and church halls here. If an inspector flagged your rear exit, a push-to-exit bar is almost always the fix. Tell us the use and rough occupant load over the phone and we'll tell you straight whether you need one.

What's the difference between a fire-rated bar and a standard one?

A fire-rated exit device is tested and labeled to stay latched and hold a fire-rated door closed during a fire, so it has no mechanical hold-open feature. A standard rim bar can have a dogging function that holds the latch back for free traffic. If your door assembly carries a fire label, you must use a labeled fire device – putting a standard bar on a rated door is a common reason a Pacoima business fails re-inspection.

Can the panic bar set off an alarm when someone uses it?

Yes. We can fit a delayed-egress or local alarm exit device, or add an alarm kit to a standard bar. The door still releases the instant the bar is pushed, but a built-in siren sounds so you know an exit was used – good for a stockroom door or an emergency-only exit on a busy Van Nuys Boulevard storefront. Where local code allows it, a short delayed-egress version can also cut down on people slipping out the back.

Will it fit our existing door, or do we need a new one?

Usually it fits. We install on hollow-metal steel doors, aluminum glass storefronts, and wood doors, plus double doors using a mullion or vertical rods. The main things we check on site are the stile width on aluminum frames and whether a rated door needs a rated device. We measure before we order, so the bar matches your door instead of forcing you to replace it. Send a photo to (818) 398-9391 and we can usually tell you on the spot.