Panic bars – their importance in commercial properties

As a local Arlington Heights, IL business operator, it’s in your best interests to know about panic bars. You may or may not be required to use them but it’s always a good idea to know what to expect from panic bars and how they can make a real difference at your business. Here at Locksmith Service Arlington Heights we know about panic bars; we’ve been installing, servicing and selling them to local firms for years. We invite you to read this helpful post and then call our friendly staff with any questions, concerns or ideas you may have about them.

So what is a panic bar?

Most people can recognize a panic bar when they see one. They may not know just what its use happens to be, but they sure will after reading this post! Panic bars are also known as push bars, exit devices and crash bars. They are those horizontally attached bars across the insides of exit doors. They have been around since the early 1900’s and we are sure that you’ve seen and used hundreds of them at one time or another.

How they work is easy; you push on the bar and the door unlatches and opens from the inside out. They are spring loaded for easy use and they save tremendous time and effort over having to find a key, unlock the door and turn the knob to get out. Whether one person leaves the premises or a hundred, the ease of use and controlled exit is always there.

Now, you’ll really notice panic bars!

Watch! It always happens. Now that you are learning about panic bars, you’ll notice them everywhere! Actually, they ARE everywhere! You’ll see them in shopping centers, movie theaters, office buildings, storage facilities, schools, car dealerships, doctor’s offices, clinics, convenience stores, restaurants, beauty parlors and hundreds more. Panic bars are everywhere because they work! They are also the law in many areas and have been written into the building code.

Does your business need panic bars?

Maybe it does. There are many ways to find out. You can find out more about Arlington Heights, IL building codes by calling the Building Department for Arlington Heights village here in Cook County. Feel free to check online and with your favorite commercial locksmith shop. Locksmith Service Arlington Heights offers free price quotes, free consultations and no obligation information so you are always at liberty to give our helpful staff a call with your questions. If your business is in a development that is already under construction (or developed) your panic bar requirements have already been determined so just give your construction manager a call and discuss your panic bar needs with him or her.

How secure are panic bars?

Very secure! Have you noticed? Panic bars are always on exit doors. The doors they are installed on are always one-way and cannot be entered from the outside. This eases the flow of people out of the store or building but does not allow anyone to enter from the outside. Controlled access is always desirable when you have multiple shoppers or groups of people coming and going. Should a fire or burglary occur, the people inside the business can leave quickly and orderly without having to continually open and close (and unlock!) the exit door and fight crowds trying to enter at the same time. The process is simple; the panic bar is pushed thereby releasing the spring loaded mechanism that unlocks the door and at the same time pushes it open to allow the person(s) to leave.

Panic bars are affordable

The prices for panic bars will vary from contractor to contractor and from one supplier to another. If you need to install panic bars or are interested in doing so in the future; it pays to shop around and ask questions. You can check with local Arlington Heights, IL contractors, home improvement stores, commercial locksmiths, area builders and developers. Feel free to go online and search using your favorite web browser for panic bar purchasing and installation. Do your homework and ask about pricing, installation costs, guarantees, warranty coverage and maintenance costs.

You can verify contractor workmanship by checking with local construction boards, Angie’s List, The Better Business Bureau and with the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce. Don’t forget volume discounts if you are adding more than one panic bar and having them installed. In many cases, local commercial locksmiths offer better rates for hardware and installation service than calling a general contractor who is really acting as a middle man.

Here at Locksmith Service Arlington Heights we offer commercial panic bars and other exit devices at the best rates and with numerous installation and maintenance options available. We also offer free price quotes, free consultations and fast, convenient service that provides mobile expertise on call at any time, day or night. If your business needs after hours panic bar repair or maintenance, our 24-hour fast response emergency help is always available to you, as well.

Lower insurance costs

Be sure to check with your insurance agent to see if you qualify for lower premiums from having panic bar additions made. Many major insurance carriers offer lower rates for having panic bars installed as they provide added safety and lower risks for customers. It’s well known that many injury attorneys check to see if panic bars were installed at a property or if a violation of the safety code was made when determining the liability of an injury claim or settlement.

Panic bar options

There are hundreds of types of local businesses that use and benefit from having panic bars. With such a variety, we now have numerous panic bar options and additions available for you to choose from. These include alarm additions, glass door options, cross bars and silencing mechanisms for use when a more quiet operation is needed. Many hospitals, retirement centers, luxury hotels, country clubs, museums, libraries and government offices take advantage of the noise reduction options to keep panic bar noise to a minimum.