We fix exit doors that won't latch, push bars that stick, and door closers that slam or let the door drift open.
What to expect: A panic bar that won't latch or a closer that slams is often an adjustment or one worn part. A closer that leaks oil needs to be replaced. Send a photo of the bar or closer with the brand name showing, and it's easier to tell which it is before the visit. Repairs are quoted per job.
Keep exits free to open. Fire codes do not allow chains, padlocks or added locks on an exit door while people are in the building. If a panic bar breaks, get it fixed. Don't lock the door some other way in the meantime. Fire doors must close and latch on their own, so don't prop them open or unhook the closer arm. On a fire-rated door, any new hardware must also be fire-rated, and drilling or adding parts can void the door's rating.
A door that won't latch is the one to fix first, since it leaves the building open. The usual causes are a strike that moved, a door that sagged on its hinges, or a closer set too soft to push the latch home.
Many push bars can be dogged. A key or a hex wrench holds the bar pushed in, so the latch stays pulled back and customers can walk in. Bars on fire-rated doors are built without mechanical dogging, because a fire door has to latch every time it closes. If a fire door needs to stay open during the day, it needs a listed hold-open device tied to the fire alarm or a smoke detector, approved by the fire marshal, so it closes when the alarm goes off.
Building codes require panic hardware on certain exit doors. It depends on how the building is used and how many people it holds. Your building inspector or the local fire marshal decides what applies to your space. Ask them before you remove or swap exit hardware.
A closer has adjustment screws for closing speed and for the last few inches of travel, called latch speed. If the door slams, or stops short of latching, those settings are the first thing to check. Turn them in small steps, about a quarter turn at a time, and test after each one. Never back a screw far out, because it can come loose and the closer will leak oil.
On a public door, the closer has to give people enough time to get through. Speeding up the main closing speed to force the latch can break accessibility rules. Adjust the latch speed for the last few inches instead, and on a fire door make sure it still latches every time.
Oil on the closer body or on the floor under it means the seals have failed. Adjusting won't stop the leak, and the closer needs to be replaced. Don't try to take a closer body apart. It holds a spring under load and a chamber of fluid.
A closer arm that pulls away from the frame or door usually means loose or stripped screws. Tighten or re-anchor it before it tears out. Close the door before you loosen the arm, because the spring keeps it under tension and it can snap back.
If you run an apartment building, our property manager page also covers entry doors and rear exits.
The outside can be. Outside trim with a key cylinder or a pull that stays locked keeps people from coming in. The push bar on the inside must always let people out, so it can never be locked against someone leaving.
Check whether the latch lines up with the strike on the frame and whether the door drags. On doors with rods that run to the top and bottom, the rod length can also drift out of adjustment.
Backcheck slows the door as it is pushed open past a set point, so it does not swing hard into the wall. Many closers have a separate screw for it. It only cushions the swing, so a door that gets thrown open hard still needs a door stop.
Some closers have a hold-open arm that keeps the door at a set angle. Those arms are not allowed on fire doors. A fire door can only be held open by a listed device that lets it close when the fire alarm or a smoke detector goes off, and the fire marshal has to approve it.
