Can I Install An Exit Bar Myself?

The function of exit bar can be clearly understood from its name. As the name suggests, the bar allows a safe exit for the home businesses, hospitals, and other vital installations at the time of emergency. With this exit bar, there is no need to break or open the lock as you can easily bypass the lock. This is all about the function of an exit bar. In general, people hire locksmiths to install exit bar on their doors. Thanks to the guys over at sunlakeslocksmith.com, this article gives answer to the question “can I install an exit bar myself?”

 

Questions that you must ask yourself before planning to install an exit bar yourself

exit bar installingBefore planning to install an exit bar by yourself, you must calculate or know about the traffic that the exit bar is going to handle. It may be heavy, medium or low. Then coming to set up, you should be sure about installing a dual or single set up. You should determine whether you are going to use the exit door for entry purposes or not. You should check whether you should be careful about the hardware finish or the color pattern of the exit bar. Finally, you should decide whether you are going to add lock or alarm on the door where you are going to install an exit bar.

 

You should follow the standards as prescribed by Department of labor and occupational safety and health administration

exit bar barracadeYou need to abide by the OSHA standards if you are going to install an exit bar in a segregated commercial building. As per the OSHA standards, all such installations need to have exit doors. The doors should be enabled with exit mechanism which can be opened by everybody without using the lock. Apart from all these standard requirements, the hardware of exit bar should meet the ANSI requirements. It is quite easy to get standard grade hardware for your exit bar. Most of the companies manufacture products that match with the prescribed standards of the American National Standards Institute.

 

Different exit bars available and self-installation guide

Generally the type of exit bar that you are going to use is dependent on the measurements of your door. Before you go shopping you should measure your door size.

 

What are you going to need for self-installation of an exit bar?

* A measurement tape

* Hacksaw

* Drill

* Exit bar

* Exit bar strike

* Hole saw

 

Installation steps

Step#1: Measurement of your door

Measure doorFor installing an exit bar, the measurement of door width is pretty important. Apart from that you need to measure the distance between the door stop on the face of the door till the location of the lock. You should pick an exit bar of length 1.5” less than the distance measured for operational convenience. The length of exit bars available in the market is of 3 to 4 feet. To fix the bar to your door, you need to cut the exit bar to fit your door.

 

Step#2: Trim and strike

Depending upon the function of your exit door, you can select the trim. Some people like to use their exit door for entry purposes. Most of the people use simple lever trim. You can choose a strike for your door depending upon the top of your door and the frame.

 

Step#3: Start boring holes on your door

Strike templates give you direction about where you are going to install the exit bar on your door. You need to cut a hole on if you are going to use the door for entry purpose too. The main purpose of using hole saw is to make a hole for accommodating the cylinder. With the help of the drill, you can make holes n your door as shown on the template.

 

Step#4: Fastening the exit bar

Now it is time to put the exit bar in the door and fasten it with the help of screws and thru-bolts. Then you should put the end caps on the screws so that the panic bar doesn’t fall off. You can install the trip and cylinders on your exit bar to make sure you can enter from outside.

 

Step#5: Check how your exit bar works

You need to fasten the strike to check whether the exit bar works or not. You may need to adjust the strike time and again to make your exit bar work properly.

 

Conclusion

The article provides you the entire information regarding installation of an exit bar. If you fail to implement the methods mentioned above, you must call the locksmiths without wasting much time.

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