Rim Exit Devices
Surface-mounted to the door face, latching into a strike on the frame. The most common, cost-effective choice for single doors.
Best for: retail entrances, offices, single service doors.
Panic bars and exit hardware supplied, installed, repaired, and replaced for commercial and institutional doors - every major brand, plus special orders for anything not in stock.
An exit device (often called a panic bar, push bar, or crash bar) lets anyone leave a building instantly by pushing a horizontal bar - no key, no thumbturn, no thinking required. In an emergency, that single motion can move a crowd out a locked door in seconds while keeping the door secured from the outside.
For commercial and institutional buildings, exit devices aren't optional. Fire and life-safety codes (NFPA 101, IBC, and local Charleston enforcement) require free egress on assembly, educational, and high-occupancy spaces. The wrong device - or a broken one - can mean a failed inspection, a liability exposure, or a door that traps people when it matters most. We supply, install, and service exit hardware so your doors pass inspection and work when someone leans on them hard.
A licensed, insured locksmith serving Charleston and the surrounding areas - the work is backed, documented, and done to code.
You deal with the same people every visit - not a rotating call-center dispatch. Straight answers on repair vs. replace.
ALOA member, Mul-T-Lock Certified, Lockly Certified, and BBB Accredited - credentials that matter when a device has to hold up to inspection.
Von Duprin, Sargent, Detex, Yale, Falcon and more. Don't see your model? We source it and install it right.
Match the device to the door, the frame, and the code requirement. Not sure which you need? We'll survey the opening and tell you.
Surface-mounted to the door face, latching into a strike on the frame. The most common, cost-effective choice for single doors.
Best for: retail entrances, offices, single service doors.
The latch mechanism sits inside a pocket cut into the door edge for a clean look and strong, durable throw.
Best for: high-traffic main entries, buildings wanting flush hardware.
Rods run up and down the door to latch at the header and threshold - ideal for pairs of doors without a center mullion.
Best for: double doors, wide egress openings.
Same top/bottom latching, but the rods hide inside the door for a tamper-resistant, tidy appearance.
Best for: hospitals, offices, and image-conscious lobbies.
A built-in alarm sounds when the bar is pushed - deterring unauthorized exits while keeping the door code-compliant.
Best for: retail loss-prevention, restricted exits, warehouses.
Touchbar (touchpad) styles give a modern, low-profile look; crossbar (rail) styles are rugged and budget-friendly.
Best for: new fit-outs vs. heavy-use back doors.
Engineered for the thin frames of aluminum-and-glass storefront doors where standard devices won't fit.
Best for: glass storefronts, aluminum entrance systems.
UL-listed for fire doors, these latch positively (no dogging) to keep a fire barrier sealed. Required on rated openings.
Best for: stairwells, corridors, any fire-rated assembly.
We work with every major exit device manufacturer - and if the brand you need isn't currently in inventory, we special-order it.
We measure the opening, check the door and frame type, and confirm the code requirement - then quote in writing, no charge.
We fit the right device from stock, or special-order your exact brand and model - including fire-rated when the opening requires it.
Precise mounting, strike alignment, and proper latch throw so the bar releases smoothly and the door secures fully.
We test egress, dogging, and alarm functions, walk you through use, and handle future repairs or replacements.
Before you condemn a "broken" panic bar, check three things - it saves many customers a full replacement:
If the chassis is cracked, the rods are bent, or the device is no longer code-compliant, replacement is the safer call. We'll tell you honestly which one your door needs.
Charleston Locksmith is a family-run, licensed and insured business serving Charleston and surrounding areas. Our credentials aren't decoration - they're why our exit device installations hold up to inspection.
"Our storefront failed a fire inspection over the panic hardware. They surveyed it same day, ordered the exact fire-rated device, and had us compliant fast. No upsell."
- Property Manager, West Ashley
"Replaced the crash bars on our double doors at the warehouse. Clean install, doors latch perfectly now, and they walked our team through the dogging function."
- Operations Lead, North Charleston
"Thought we needed all-new hardware - turned out our exit device just needed a repair. Honest, licensed, and quick. Will use them again."
- School Facilities Director, Mount Pleasant
It's the push-bar hardware on a commercial door that lets anyone exit instantly by pressing a horizontal bar - no key or knob needed. It's also called a panic bar, push bar, or crash bar, and it's a life-safety requirement on many commercial and institutional openings.
Rim, mortise, surface vertical rod, concealed vertical rod, alarmed, touchbar and crossbar, narrow-stile (for glass storefront doors), and fire-rated exit devices. We match the device to your door, frame, and code requirement.
In most cases, yes. We survey the door and frame first to confirm fit - including narrow aluminum-and-glass storefront doors, which need narrow-stile devices. If the door isn't a candidate, we'll tell you and explain the options.
Many issues - worn springs, misaligned strikes, loose mounting, dogging problems - are repairs, not replacements. We replace when the chassis is cracked, rods are bent, or the device no longer meets code. We give you an honest recommendation with a free estimate.
Yes. We install to NFPA 101, IBC, and local Charleston requirements. Fire-rated openings get UL-listed fire exit devices that latch positively (no dogging), so the door keeps its fire barrier while still allowing free egress.
Von Duprin, Corbin Russwin, Sargent, Detex, Alarm Lock, Yale, Falcon, Dorma and more. We serve all major brands - and if your specific model isn't in inventory, we special-order it rather than pushing a substitute.
Supply, installation, repair, or replacement - for any major brand. Family-run, licensed, and BBB Accredited, serving Charleston and surrounding areas.
Charleston Locksmith · Charleston, SC · (843) 380-5647 · charlestonlocksmith.com