Panic Bar Installation in Highlands Ranch, CO

When Is a Panic Bar Required by Colorado Code

Per the 2024 IBC adopted by Highlands Ranch and Douglas County: panic hardware is required on any door serving an occupant load of 50 or more in Group A (assembly), E (educational), or H (high-hazard) occupancies. For Group B (business) and M (mercantile) occupancies, panic hardware is required at occupant loads of 50+ if a key lockset is installed on the egress side. Other triggers: any door in an electrical room over 1,200A, any door in a refrigeration room with hazardous materials.

Panic Bar Types We Install

Rim devices — The most common type, mounted on the inside surface of the door. Latches engage a strike on the door frame. Best for single-door applications with no overlap with another door. Brands: Von Duprin 99, Sargent 8800, Yale 7100.

Mortise devices — Latch is built into a mortise pocket inside the door. Higher security and longer service life than rim devices. Best for high-traffic exterior doors. Brands: Von Duprin 99 mortise, Sargent 8900, Yale 7110.

Surface vertical rod (SVR) devices — Two latches, one at the top and one at the bottom of the door. Used on pairs of double doors where the inactive leaf does not have a vertical strike. Brands: Von Duprin 9947, Sargent 8700.

Concealed vertical rod (CVR) devices — Same as SVR but the rods are inside the door (cleaner aesthetic). Higher cost, more complex install. Brands: Von Duprin 9947CVR, Sargent 8700CVR.

Outside Trim Options

Panic bars are exit-only by design — pushing the bar releases the latch from the inside. To allow controlled re-entry from outside, you add an outside trim: a lever or knob with a key cylinder. Common configurations:

• Storeroom function (08) — outside lever always locked, key required to enter, push bar exits.
• Classroom function (05) — outside lever locked or unlocked by key. The teacher chooses lockdown vs. normal mode.
• Night latch (10) — outside lever active when push bar is dogged (held in retracted position).
• Dummy trim — pull handle only, no key entry. Common on stairwells and exit-only doors.

Fire-Rated Panic Hardware

Doors in 1-hour or 2-hour fire-rated walls (between tenants in mixed-use buildings, in stairwells, in mechanical rooms) require fire-rated panic hardware: UL listed and labeled for the specific door rating. Standard panic hardware will fail your fire inspection. We carry fire-rated Von Duprin 99-F, Sargent 8800F, Yale 7100F. Always specify fire-rated when ordering for a labeled door.

Panic Bar Installation Pricing in Highlands Ranch

Code Compliance Documentation

Every panic device install includes written documentation: device manufacturer, model number, UL listing, ANSI grade, fire rating (if applicable), and the egress capacity of the door. This is the documentation your code enforcement officer needs for Certificate of Occupancy approval. We can also coordinate directly with your contractor or architect during a tenant-improvement project.

Call (720) 299-9964 to schedule a panic device installation in Highlands Ranch, Centennial, Lone Tree, or south Denver.