You have decided to buy a safe for your home but there is a number of things you should consider before you run down to the local big box store and load it into your car. Not all safes are created equal!
What size do I need?
The first step is to decide what you want to put in your new safe. It is a good idea to actually gather the items and put them in a pile so you can get a visual on how much room you will need inside you safe. If you have any larger items that will need to go inside, it is helpful to take the measurements of those items. There is nothing worse than hauling a heavy safe up a flight of stairs to find out that you can not get everything in it that you wanted to.
If you have a bunch of smaller items and you really enjoy math: measure the height, width and depth of each item, multiply all the numbers and divide it by 1728. This is your total cubic inches. Now divide by 12 to find out the cubic feet.
While we are discussing size, we should also touch on the weight of the safe you want to buy. A heavier safe is harder to move and often requires professional safe movers to get the job done but it also means it is harder to steal during a burglary. Smaller safes can easily be picked up and stolen if someone was to break into your home. Many lightweight safes can be bolted down to keep someone from walking away with it. Find out first because you can lose fire protection if you drill a hole on your own. The same thing in reverse is true as well, if your safe has a bolt down hole and you do not bolt it down, you are not getting any fire protection.
Will it fit?
While you still have the measuring tape out, measure the doorways, staircases and the final location to make sure you can get it where you want it and that it will fit once you do.
What kind of safe do I need?
There are typically two types of safes that you can purchase. Fire and Burglary. A fire safe is designed to protect the contents in case of a fire and normally offer very little in the way of burglary protection and can very easily be pried open with a large screwdriver. If you are looking to protect important documents, this is the way to go. Keep in mind, most fire safes are designed to keep the contents below 350 degrees, which is the temperature that paper will start to burn. Plastics, CD’s and other items with a lower melting temperature will not be protected. This includes the new plastic money we are using! If you are wanting to protect anything that isn’t paper from a fire, you will need to purchase a different type of safe.
There is no such thing as a 100% fireproof safe. Be cautious of any safe manufacturer that makes this claim.
Valuables should be kept in a safe that provides protection from theft. A burglary safe will have larger locking bolts, better locks, relockers and thicker steel to keep unauthorized people out. They all come with different ratings as to how long they will withstand an attack. We are more than happy to explain the different ratings to you.
If you want both fire and burglary protection, there is safes for that too!
Dial or keypad?
The choice is up to you! When you are buying a quality safe, there is no difference between the two types of locks. Many lower quality safes come with lower quality locks on them so it is best to discuss the differences between a dial and a keypad with someone who has experience working with both locks.
Have we given you a lot to think about?
The BEST way to make sure you are getting the right safe for your needs is to talk with a professional. We know all the ins and outs of buying a safe and want to make sure you get what you want. Give us a call or stop in so we can help you protect what is important to you.
