What We Offer
Panic Bar / Exit Device Installation & Maintenance
Panic bars, also known as panic exit devices, crash bars, or push bars, are hardware devices designed to provide quick and easy egress from buildings in emergency situations. They are commonly installed on exit doors in public buildings, commercial spaces, and other structures where a large number of people gather.
Key features of panic bars include:
- Horizontal Bar Design: Panic bars typically consist of a horizontal bar that spans the width of the door. When pressure is applied to the bar, it activates the mechanism that unlatches the door, allowing it to open easily.
- Quick and Easy Egress: The design of panic bars ensure that individuals can exit the building quickly and without the need for special knowledge or skills. In emergency situations, people might be in a state of panic, so the simplicity of operation is crucial.
- Code Compliance: Building codes and fire safety regulations often mandate the use of panic bars in certain types of buildings, especially those with high occupancy levels. These devices help ensure that buildings meet safety standards and provide efficient egress routes.
- Variety of Configurations: Panic bars come in various configurations to accommodate different door types and sizes.
- Integrated Alarms: Some panic bars come with integrated alarm systems that sound an alert when the bar is pushed, helping to notify building occupants and emergency responders.
- Durability and Security: Panic bars are constructed to be durable and withstand frequent use. They are designed to provide a secure locking mechanism from the outside while allowing easy and quick exit from the inside.
- Accessibility: Many panic bars comply with accessibility standards, ensuring that they can be easily operated by individuals with disabilities.
When installing panic bars, it's important to adhere to local building codes and regulations to ensure proper functionality and compliance with safety standards. Regular maintenance and testing are also essential to guarantee that panic bars function correctly when needed in an emergency.
Unlockit stocks and installs panic bars from brands like Marks USA, Von Duprin, Harney, and Command Access. We also supply exit alarms from Detex that sound off when the door is opened.
Door Closer Installation & Maintenance
Door closers contribute to the overall safety, security, and functionality of a building by controlling the movement of doors and ensuring they close properly. They are an important component of building code compliance and fire safety measures.
Key features and components of door closers include:
- Main Components:
- Closer Body: The main housing of the door closer that contains the internal mechanisms.
- Arm: Connects the closer body to the door and controls the closing action.
- Spring or Hydraulic Mechanism: Responsible for controlling the speed and force of the door's closing.
- Types of Door Closers:
- Surface-Mounted: These are the most common type, attached to the surface of the door and frame.
- Concealed: Installed within the door and frame, hidden from view when the door is closed.
- Overhead: Mounted on the frame above the door.
- Closing Mechanisms:
- Hydraulic Closers: Use a hydraulic fluid-filled chamber to control the door's closing speed and prevent slamming.
- Spring Closers: Use a coiled spring to control the closing force and speed.
- Hold-Open Feature:
- Some door closers have a hold-open feature, allowing the door to stay open at a certain angle for convenience. This feature is often used in situations where a door needs to remain open temporarily.
Unlockit installs and services LCN, LSDA, and Norton door closers.
Continuous Hinge Installation
Continuous hinges are designed to prevent heavy or high-traffic commercial doors from becoming misaligned.
Standard hinges or pivots might fail with time due to constant use or the weight of a door. When that happens, a continuous hinge is installed. Because it runs along the entire length of a door, the weight of the door is evenly distributed.
Unlockit installs continuous hinges from Select Hinges.
Gap & Seal Solutions
It's important to properly seal entryways with door sweeps, weatherstripping, and thresholds to create a barrier against pests and moisture.
Door sweeps are typically installed on the bottom of a door to fill any gap between the door and the threshold. They come in brush or rubber styles and different heights to seal gaps of any size and prevent insects and vermin from invading. Unlockit installs Pemko door sweeps.
Weatherstripping is installed to prevent air leaks and water from entering at the edge and top of a door.
Thresholds provide a smooth transition from different types of flooring, while also closing the empty space at the bottom of a door.
Hardware Swap Outs
When it's necessary to replace a mechanism on a door to improve ease of use or functionality, Unlockit has the solutions to fit every situation and maintain the integrity of the door.
With mechanism replacements, we typically install a plate that either wraps around the edge of a door or is affixed to the frame of the door. These plates help to convert mechanism types and serve as the guide for the new latch or strike.
Door Adjustments
Doors can become misaligned due to improper installation, the building settling, normal wear-and-tear, or changing weather conditions. Because of small shifts in the positioning of the door, a lock may begin to malfunction or the door will stop functioning as its supposed to.
Fortunately, the resolution for such a problem is usually a door adjustment and often doesn’t require any new hardware to be installed.
Regular inspections and maintenance can help identify issues with doors before they become significant problems. Adjustments may involve tweaking hinges, door closers, strike plates, or other components to ensure the door operates smoothly, closes securely, and meets safety and security standards.
Break-In Repair & Door Reinforcement
After a break-in, a damaged door will need to be repaired or replaced. Even if you don't notice any obvious damage, call Unlockit to check the internal workings of your doors.
We can reinforce your doors' hinges, hardware, frames, and door jambs to make your doors stronger and more resistant to forced entry. We can also install latch guards and other hardware as safeguards for doors.
Unlockit offers a Door Reinforcement Kit that can be purchased as individual pieces or as a set. The kit includes a Door Frame Protector, Door Edge Protector, and set of (2) Door Hinge Protectors.
- The Door Frame Protector is a 59-inch steel plate that is surface mounted onto the frame of your door using 3-inch screws (or 2-inch screws if you have sidelights next to the door). This piece helps protect the strike (the catch for the door latch) if an attempt were made to kick the door open.
- The Door Edge Protector is a 48-inch steel channel that is installed on the edge of your door using long screws. This piece helps close the gap between the door and the door frame and will help prevent the door from splitting open if someone tries to kick in or pry open the door with a crowbar.
- The Door Hinge Protectors are 8-inch steel channels that are typically installed around the top and bottom hinges of a door. These pieces help protect the hinges if the door were to split in an attempted kick in.
Unlockit also installs security bars that are used to reinforce back doors to commercial spaces.