We install, repair, and adjust surface and concealed vertical rod exit devices across Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia. Your double doors will latch at the top and bottom, open with one push, and pass your next fire or life safety inspection.
Surface or concealed, door pairs
ANSI/BHMA A156.3 · UL 305 · UL 10C · NFPA 101
Maryland, DC & Northern Virginia
A vertical rod exit device is panic hardware that latches a door at the top and bottom instead of at the edge. Pushing the bar pulls rods out of the frame head and the floor. This lets a pair of doors close without a center post, so the full opening stays clear for carts, beds, and crowds. The rods can mount on the door face or hide inside the door. Building codes require panic hardware on many exit doors in assembly, school, and healthcare spaces.
No center mullion blocks the path, so carts, stretchers, and crowds move through double doors easily.
One push releases both latches, so people can leave fast during a fire or other emergency.
UL 10C exit hardware keeps paired doors latched so smoke and fire stay where they start.
King Locksmith And Doors Inc. is a commercial locksmith and door company serving Maryland, Washington DC, and Northern Virginia. Our technicians install, repair, and adjust vertical rod exit devices in offices, schools, hospitals, hotels, and government buildings. We know the codes your fire marshal checks. We show up on time, explain the work in plain words, and leave doors that latch every time. From one stuck pair to a full building retrofit, we handle it.
Not every vertical rod device fits every door. The right choice depends on your door type, fire rating, daily traffic, and floor. Use this guide to compare your options before you buy or replace hardware.
Surface vertical rod (SVR) devices mount on the face of the door. The rods are easy to see, easy to reach, and easy to adjust. They fit most hollow metal and wood doors and usually cost less to install.
Concealed vertical rod (CVR) devices hide the rods inside the door. They look cleaner and are harder to tamper with. But the door must be factory prepped for them, and repairs take more time and skill.
A fire-rated pair of doors needs fire exit hardware listed to UL 10C. These devices have no dogging feature, so the doors latch after every use. The label on the device must match the rating on the door.
Most rated pairs also need top and bottom latching to stay shut under fire pressure. A less-bottom-rod setup is allowed only when the door and device are listed for it. We check every label before we install.
A busy school hallway or hospital corridor can see thousands of pushes a day. For these doors, choose a Grade 1 device under ANSI/BHMA A156.3. Grade 1 hardware is cycle-tested to stand up to heavy daily use for years.
Bottom rods take the most abuse in busy spaces. Carts, mop buckets, and winter dirt can bend rods or clog the floor strike. Ask us about rod guards or a less-bottom-rod (LBR) setup for these openings.
Trim controls how people get in from the outside. Common choices are a pull with a key cylinder, a lever, or no trim at all for exit-only doors. You can pick night latch, passage, classroom, or storeroom functions.
You can add electric latch retraction, a request-to-exit switch, or delayed egress. These options tie your doors into access control and alarm systems. We help you match the trim and function to each door in your building.
Building and fire codes set clear rules for panic hardware. The push bar must sit 34 to 48 inches above the floor and span at least half the door width. It must release with 15 pounds of force or less.
ADA rules add that the hardware must work without tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist. We check each of these points during our site visit, so your doors pass inspection the first time.
Pairs of doors usually get one of two setups: vertical rod devices or rim devices with a removable mullion. Here is how they compare on the points that matter most.
Consideration
Vertical Rod Exit Devices
Rim Devices with Mullion
Full width opens with no center post
Center post blocks carts, beds, and crowds
Concealed rods give a clean, finished look
A center post breaks up the entrance
Both leaves swing open in seconds
Removing the mullion takes a key and time
Listed for many fire-rated double doors
The mullion needs its own fire listing
Surface rods retrofit onto most existing pairs
Adding a mullion often needs frame work
Vertical rod devices have more moving parts than most door hardware. When one part slips out of line, the whole pair can fail to latch. Watch for these warning signs.
We install surface and concealed vertical rod devices on new and existing pairs of commercial double doors.
We realign rods, fix latches, and replace worn parts so both doors latch firmly every single time.
We replace old or failing devices with code-compliant hardware that fits your existing door preps and frames.
We inspect fire-rated pairs under NFPA 80 and fix any exit hardware issues before your annual inspection.
We add electric latch retraction, exit alarms, and request-to-exit switches that work with your current access system.
We clean floor strikes, lube moving parts, and adjust rods on a set schedule to prevent failures.
Tell us about your doors. We will check your vertical rod exit devices and send you a clear, free quote.
