PANIC BARS – THEIR IMPORTANCE IN COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES

Have you been thinking of adding panic bars to your commercial store or building? Maybe you are interested in them because you’ve heard good things about them. Or, you might be required by your fire code or property manager to have them installed. Either way, you are in for a pleasant surprise; panic bars have many advantages and benefits with no obvious drawbacks. Here in Racine, WI many hundreds of local businesses and institutional locations use them with great success. Read on and see how installing panic bars at your firm may be a good thing!

What are panic bars?

We’ve all seen and used them; some people just didn’t know their name! Panic bars are also called push bars, crash bars and exit devices. This is because they are horizontal, spring loaded bars attached to back doors that allow users to push on them and simultaneously unlock and open the door without any hassle or effort at all. Panic bars are all over town; in fact, Racine Locksmith has installed many of them. You can find (and use) these panic bars in movie theaters, restaurants, retail stores, schools, hotels, churches, public libraries, clinics, hospitals, office buildings, fine dining, fast food, car repair shops and thousands more. They are in such use because they work and they keep people safe and moving along without having to stop, unlock the door, turn a knob and fight incoming traffic. If you’ll notice; panic bars are always installed on one-way doors. This is by design. People can’t exit safely or rapidly if they are dodging folks coming the other way. In almost all cases, the outside of the door with the panic bar on the inside does not have a door knob! It may have a lock on it but no handle or knob to grasp or turn. This is so that people leaving have one easy thing to do; lean on the panic bar and walk out the door!

Much like buying a new car and suddenly noticing the same make and model everywhere you look, you’ll start to notice panic bars wherever you go. This is a good thing; you’ll appreciate this useful tool and the numerous lives it has saved over the years.

Why the word:“panic?”

Do you know why it is illegal to yell “fire” in a crowded theater? Of course you do; people would panic and stampede each other in an effort to get out the door…but what about when this really happens? The problem may be a fire or a water leak. It could be a person acting deranged or an armed assailant. Anytime people feel the need to leave in a hurry there can be problems evacuating the premises. Panic bars help them do this faster, easier, and with less steps involved. 

Do I have to have them?

Maybe you do. Sometimes having panic bars installed is a requirement according to building or fire codes. To be sure, check with your fire department, property manager, architect or builder of your development. Each locale is different and you’ll want to be sure. 

Do panic bars ever break down?

Anything mechanical will malfunction eventually. Panic bars are no different. They can become jammed or stuck in the locked or unlocked position. If this happens, it may prevent you from closing your doors for the night as it will be hard to “lock up” with your back door unable to lock. There are some useful remedies that can help you fix the problem yourself or you can contact your commercial locksmith in Racine of choice and they can unlock your panic bar so that it is usable and safe to use once more. Be sure and save your owner’s manual and model number in case you want to do your own servicing.

Where can you buy panic bars?

You can purchase panic bars online or in local stores. You can have your builder or local contractor install them for you or you can buy from them, as well. Our recommendation is that you buy from a commercial locksmith and have them do the installation and service if, it is ever needed. Panic bars are a vital part of your building and should be treated as an integral part of your business equipment. As such it is worth the investment in quality materials and service and in many cases, you can write off purchase, service, installation and care as a tax expense. Be sure to check with your tax professional for the details and documentation needed.

A commercial locksmith will have better access to a greater number of panic bar brands and models, and will be able to provide on-site installation as well as 24-hour emergency care for it if and when it is needed.

You can also purchase your panic bars from local home improvement stores, hardware stores and from national chains like Lowe’s, Home Depot, Sears, and Ace Hardware. The problem with doing all of this yourself is that you are having to shop, investigate, install and maintain your panic bars, all on your own. As a business owner or operator, your time is better spent actually running your company and increasing sales or service and not doing mundane, do-it-yourself projects that you are not specialized in.

When questions arise…

As with anything new, questions will come up. Another drawback to adding panic bars on your own is that you virtually have no one to answer them for you. Sure, you can ask around but are the answers truthful and accurate? Why not use a commercial locksmith and have fast and honest answers to your panic bar questions and problems at a moment’s notice? For instance, you cannot install a deadbolt lock in addition to a panic bar. Panic bars are meant to be opened quickly and easily and having to work a deadbolt lock in addition can be against building codes and a safety hazard. Your locksmith will be able to advise you on issues and questions like these anytime they arise.

Getting Help When Locked Out

You might be locked out and unable to gain access into your business, home or car. Don’t worry; it happens more times than you might think. People are simply busy running from here and there so quickly that it is possible to leave your key behind, lose it or misplace it. Everybody likes to think that it can never happen to them but it can happen to any of us. If you’re locked out the last thing we would ever suggest that you do is knock out a window or jimmy the lock. This definitely isn’t the solution to gain access into your home, car or business again. This usually just creates more problems. You might think of breaking a window just so that you can save money not realizing that it’s going to cost you to repair the window. That is why we would suggest you rely on the services of a Racine, WI locksmith, like Racine Locksmith, to assist you with your lockout service needs.

It can be downright upsetting whenever you are locked out. This is something that sends some people into a real panic. They may be in a hurry, it could be late at night, early morning, cold outside or hot outside when you find yourself locked out. There is no ideal time or situation for which anyone wants to be locked out. Regardless of the situation you find yourself in, you can get back inside quickly if you depend on a reliable locksmith who is responsive to your emergency lockout needs. A 24-hour locksmith service in Racine should be available to assist you in cases like this.

Kinds of Lockout Situations

Dangerous Types of Lockout Situations

When it is late at night in your located somewhere that doesn’t have a lot of people or traffic, this could pose a threat to your safety and security. This is the type of lockout that should be handled quickly. Don’t flag down the first car that you see but what you can do, if someone stops, ask them to call the local authorities; a police officer or highway patrol. In a situation such as this, you may just need to get out of harms way rather than focusing on getting back into your car. However, if you know the name of a reliable locksmith in the area who offers 24-hour emergency services, you can contact them in order to open your door. If you are safety conscience, we are sure that you’ll find it helpful to contact someone who can first and foremost, get you into a safe situation away from danger. If you are locked out and it is a dangerous situation, we advise you to do the following:

Stay close to your car

Don’t get into the car with anyone that you do not know

Follow your gut feeling if someone suspicious approaches you; use caution

Call an expert locksmith that is available 24-hours a day for emergency services

Typical Lockouts

Home Lockouts

If you have a door that automatically locks behind you, there is a greater possibility of locking yourself out. Sometimes people end up locking themselves out because they are just running outside quickly to retrieve something and don’t stop to think that they shouldn’t shut the door. Perhaps they place something in the door in order for it not to shut completely but it blows away or falls out of the door. When you’re in a hurry, it isn’t unlikely that you’ll forget your house key. Even when a person comes to visit, it is typical to just step out on the porch to speak to them. In some instances, you might make the mistake of closing the door behind you and locking yourself out of the house. So just what can you do when this happens to you? We have a few suggestions to offer to you.

If you were in the house it is likely that you had a door cracked or a window open to let some air in. While we would never suggest that you climb through a window, we would suggest that you discreetly get in, if you can go undetected; through a window or door you left open. The key to doing this is being extremely careful so that no one sees you.

An even better and more practical solution is to provide a neighbor that you trust, with a spare house key. If your cell phone is in the house, it doesn’t make sense to give your key to someone who’s home you can’t walk to. This is why we suggest providing a neighbor with the keys.

Car Lockouts

This is the most common types of lockouts that we respond to at Racine Locksmith. There are certainly more motorists on the road than there are homeowners and this could be one of the reasons we receive so many calls from them. If you’re in a hurry, it is clear to see why you locked your keys in the car or ran off and left them on the counter of a store you were in.

Commercial Lockouts

Sometimes a person will just step out of their business to speak with someone, hang a sign or bring in merchandise without realizing they don’t have their keys in their hand and they have just shut the door. This is only a problem with there are no other associates in the store. In order to avoid this situation, you can make sure that you never go outside unless another associate is inside. This also serves as a form of security to you. We also suggest that you make sure whoever is responsible for the maintenance of your establishment has a spare key to the property. They should have a key to every entry door to your business. This means that if you are ever locked out, you’ll always have a way back inside. You can also provide a key to a trustworthy employ.