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The doors of your commercial property serve a dual, critical purpose: they must stand as a formidable barrier against unauthorized intrusion while also providing a clear, unobstructed path to safety for your employees and customers in an emergency. This is especially true for double door entryways, which can present a significant security challenge. At Guardian Angel Lock & Security, we specialize in solving this challenge with industry-leading hardware. The picture you see displays a recent job we completed, including the installation of a Von Duprin exit device with a Mullion post in the middle of the door—a robust, elegant, and highly secure solution that meets the strictest standards for both security and life-safety.
Navigating the complex world of commercial door hardware, Los Angeles fire codes, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires a level of expertise that goes far beyond a standard locksmith. As certified security professionals, we serve as your trusted partners, providing expert consultation to design and install the correct exit hardware solutions that protect your property, limit your liability, and ensure the well-being of everyone who walks through your doors.
In the field of life-safety hardware, one name is synonymous with innovation, durability, and unwavering reliability: Von Duprin. The company’s story begins with a tragedy that changed building safety forever. In 1903, the Iroquois Theatre fire in Chicago resulted in a catastrophic loss of life, in part because the exit doors were either locked or opened inward, creating a deadly bottleneck. In response to this, Von Duprin’s founder, Carl Prinzler, in partnership with Henry H. DuPont, invented the first-ever “panic release bar” in 1908. Their patented device was designed to unlatch a door with a simple push, an intuitive motion that would allow a panicked crowd to exit quickly.
For over a century, Von Duprin has continued to be the undisputed leader in the industry. Their products are the specified standard for high-traffic, high-abuse environments such as schools, universities, hospitals, airports, retail centers, and government buildings. This is because they are engineered with superior materials and rigorously tested to perform flawlessly millions of times without failure. When you invest in Von Duprin hardware, you are investing in a legacy of life-saving innovation and the peace of mind that comes from knowing you have installed the best.
Often referred to simply as a “crash bar” or “panic bar,” a Von Duprin exit device is a piece of precision-engineered hardware. As expert installers, we work with their full range of products, helping you select the perfect type, function, and style for your specific application.
This is the most common and straightforward type of panic bar. The device is surface-mounted on the interior of the door, and its latching mechanism engages with a strike plate mounted on the door frame or, in the case of a double door, the mullion. Known for their simplicity and extreme durability, rim devices are an excellent choice for most single and double door applications. The Von Duprin 99 Series rim device is the most widely used exit device in the world.
For entryways that require a higher level of security against external threats, a mortise exit device is the ideal solution. It combines the emergency egress function of a panic bar with a high-security mortise lock body that is installed into a pocket within the door. This provides a formidable defense against prying and forced entry while still allowing for single-motion, keyless exiting from the inside.
These devices (both surface-mounted and concealed) are primarily used to secure the “inactive” leaf of a double door pair that does not have a central mullion. They feature rods that run the full height of the door, latching into the frame at the top and the floor at the bottom. While effective for securing the opening, they can be more complex to install and maintain than a rim device with a mullion.
Von Duprin exit devices can be seamlessly integrated into any modern electronic access control system. “Electrified” options allow the panic bar to be controlled by a card reader, keypad, biometric scanner, or a remote button at a reception desk. This marries life-safety with sophisticated security.
This feature allows the latch bolt of the panic bar to be held retracted electronically. This creates a “push-pull” operation during business hours, allowing visitors to pass through freely without the latch engaging each time. It reduces noise in quiet environments like hospitals and libraries and dramatically reduces wear and tear on the hardware.
This provides the same push-pull functionality but is designed for lower-traffic doors. It allows the push pad to be held down electronically, disabling the latch for temporary unrestricted access.
Exit alarms can be integrated directly into the panic bar, sounding a loud local alarm whenever the bar is pushed. This is a powerful feature for deterring unauthorized use of emergency exits for theft or propping doors open.
Double doors are common in commercial buildings to accommodate the flow of people and the movement of goods. However, they present a significant security problem: the vertical gap in the middle. Without a solid frame to latch into, this gap becomes a prime target for prying attacks. The definitive solution to this problem is the installation of a door mullion.
A mullion is the vertical post that is installed in the center of a pair of doors. It effectively creates a solid, secure door frame in the middle of the opening. This allows each door to have its own sturdy latching point, dramatically increasing the strength and security of the entire entryway. By installing a mullion, you can use two highly secure and reliable rim exit devices—one on each door—creating a far more robust barrier than a set of vertical rod devices on their own.
The mullion shown in our installation is a removable mullion. This brilliant piece of hardware offers the perfect blend of security and flexibility. For day-to-day operation, it provides the strength and rigidity of a fixed center post. However, when you need to create a single, wide opening—to move large equipment, pallets of inventory, or furniture—the mullion can be easily removed. Typically, a key is used to unlock the fittings at the top and bottom, and the entire post lifts out. Once the need has passed, it is securely locked back into place, restoring the high-security configuration of the doorway. This is the ideal solution for stock rooms, event spaces, hospital corridors, and main entrances.
The hardware on your exit doors is arguably the most important hardware in your building. Its failure to perform correctly in an emergency can have catastrophic consequences, including the potential for injury or loss of life, as well as severe legal and financial liability for the business owner. The installation of panic bars, exit alarms, and mullions must be performed with absolute precision by a knowledgeable, licensed professional.
Our technicians are experts in the local Los Angeles and California fire codes (including NFPA 101 Life Safety Code and California Title 24) that govern means of egress. We ensure that your hardware is fully compliant with all requirements for clear opening width, single-motion exiting, opening force, and proper latching. We ensure that your business is not only secure but also safe and legally compliant, protecting you from potential fines and liability.
Ready to secure your commercial property with the industry’s best hardware? Contact Guardian Angel Lock & Security today for a professional consultation. We will assess your needs and design a compliant, secure, and reliable exit hardware solution tailored to your business.
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