I hate vertical rods. Concealed or surface. Vertical rods are the worst. They always need adjustment and repair. And, vertical rods are frustrating to install, maintain, adjust, and repair. As soon as a vertical rod exit device starts acting up, I automatically replace the rods with concealed vertical cables. I use absolutely zero vertical rod exit devices. No, I'm done with vertical rods. I refuse to install vertical rods. I only use vertical cables or rim with mullion. You ought to try adjusting and repairing a vertical rod crossbar exit device. At one of my buildings, Siblings and Nieces, we had that type. At the Siblings and Nieces facility, we had the Von Duprin 5547, 5547-F, 8827, 8827-F, and 8847-F series crossbar exit devices. I hated them! Every single time they needed repairs, adjustments, or maintenance, I would have to take the door closer loose, remove the door from the hinges, lay the door on saw horses, and adjust the rods, and then put the door back on the hinges, re-hook the closer and hope that I got the rods synchronized only to get a call the next day that they were having problems again...and had to do it all over again. The more you do it, the more frustrated you get. It was even worse when you had alarmed exits. You would adjust the rods only to find that the alarm wouldn't reset because the latch bolt monitor was out of whack. The more you fight with the rods, the more upset you get. The more you wrestle with the concealed vertical rods, the more you resent vertical rods altogether. I got rid of them and now that Siblings and Nieces facility uses the Von Duprin QEL9849-F, CD9949, CX9849, CX9949, and 9949 concealed vertical cable exit devices and the Von Duprin QEL99-F, CD98, CX99, CX98 and 99 series exit devices with removable mullions. Since I made that change, I haven't had to touch them accept when locking up at night.
I hate vertical rods. Concealed or surface. Vertical rods are the worst. They always need adjustment and repair. And, vertical rods are frustrating to install, maintain, adjust, and repair. As soon as a vertical rod exit device starts acting up, I automatically replace the rods with concealed vertical cables. I use absolutely zero vertical rod exit devices. No, I'm done with vertical rods. I refuse to install vertical rods. I only use vertical cables or rim with mullion.
You ought to try adjusting and repairing a vertical rod crossbar exit device. At one of my buildings, Siblings and Nieces, we had that type. At the Siblings and Nieces facility, we had the Von Duprin 5547, 5547-F, 8827, 8827-F, and 8847-F series crossbar exit devices. I hated them! Every single time they needed repairs, adjustments, or maintenance, I would have to take the door closer loose, remove the door from the hinges, lay the door on saw horses, and adjust the rods, and then put the door back on the hinges, re-hook the closer and hope that I got the rods synchronized only to get a call the next day that they were having problems again...and had to do it all over again. The more you do it, the more frustrated you get. It was even worse when you had alarmed exits. You would adjust the rods only to find that the alarm wouldn't reset because the latch bolt monitor was out of whack. The more you fight with the rods, the more upset you get. The more you wrestle with the concealed vertical rods, the more you resent vertical rods altogether.
I got rid of them and now that Siblings and Nieces facility uses the Von Duprin QEL9849-F, CD9949, CX9849, CX9949, and 9949 concealed vertical cable exit devices and the Von Duprin QEL99-F, CD98, CX99, CX98 and 99 series exit devices with removable mullions. Since I made that change, I haven't had to touch them accept when locking up at night.