Panic Hardware That Passes Inspection. Installed to Code.

IBC Section 1010.1.10, adopted in Texas, requires panic hardware on exit doors serving assembly occupancies with 50 or more occupants, high-hazard occupancies (H), and educational occupancies with 50 or more. The Texas Fire Code (adopted IFC) mirrors this threshold. NFPA 101 Chapter 7 uses similar occupancy and load criteria. If your space hosts public gatherings, classroom instruction, or hazardous materials, budget for panic devices on all egress doors.

A rim device mounts on the door surface - the latch mechanism sits on the face of the door and retracts from a surface-mounted strike. Installation is faster and suits retrofit applications. A mortise device recesses a lock body into a pocket cut in the door edge, the same pocket used by standard mortise locks. Mortise devices are cleaner looking, stronger, and standard on new construction with 1-3/4 inch or thicker doors. Labor cost is higher because of the mortise preparation.

Yes. Any exit device installed on a UL fire-rated door assembly must itself be UL-listed for the door's fire rating (20-minute, 90-minute, or 3-hour). Non-rated hardware on a fire door voids the door's rating, fails fire marshal inspection, and creates liability. We verify the door label before ordering hardware and supply the UL installation certificate your building file requires.

ADAAG 404.2.9 and Texas Accessibility Standards (TAS) 404 require that hardware on accessible routes operate with one hand and no tight grasping, pinching, or twisting. Maximum operating force is 5 pounds for interior doors, 15 pounds for exterior doors (IBC 1010.1.3). The panic bar itself satisfies the one-hand, no-twist requirement. Force adjustment is part of every installation we complete.

Hex-key dogging allows the latch to retract and remain retracted so the door swings freely - useful during deliveries or high-traffic hours. Texas Fire Code prohibits dogging on fire-rated exit doors. On non-rated doors, dogging is permissible when the building is occupied and an employee monitors the exit. Electronic dogging integrated with the fire alarm is available for fire-rated assemblies: the device releases and latches automatically when the fire alarm activates.

Rim exit devices typically run $300 to $800 for hardware plus $150 to $300 labor. Mortise devices run $500 to $1,200 hardware plus $200 to $400 labor. Concealed vertical rod devices are $600 to $1,500 hardware plus $250 to $500 labor. Fire-rated units add $100 to $400 to the hardware cost. Alarmed delayed-egress devices (15-second delay, audible alarm) run $1,000 to $2,500 plus installation. Exact quotes require on-site assessment of door construction, fire rating, and code requirements.

Yes. Commercial panic hardware on fire-rated assemblies typically requires a permit and fire marshal inspection in Austin and surrounding jurisdictions. We handle the permit application, coordinate the inspection, and provide the UL listing documentation your building file requires. Our Texas DPS license number appears on all permit applications.

Narrow stile aluminum frames require surface vertical rod (SVR) or concealed vertical rod (CVR) devices designed for that profile. Standard rim devices will not fit. We assess the stile width, frame construction, and existing hardware before ordering. Von Duprin, Corbin Russwin, and Falcon all manufacture narrow-stile compatible exit devices. Retrofit on a glass door typically takes two to four hours per door.