Not All Safes Are
Selecting the right safe for your home or office might seem like a simple task. But not all safes are equal. There are a few considerations that should be included in your decision-making process before investing. Should you have an electronic or mechanical lock? Is the safe to protect against fire and theft or keep household members away from guns or both? What size should you consider? Most safes are typically designed for fire resistance, burglar resistant or gun housing and protection. The first question to ask yourself is, “What will I be storing in the safe?”
Fire resistant safes are a must have if you live in Colorado. Fires have been all too common, especially if you live in or near the mountains. Fire resistant safes should have at least one hour of resistance (Allis 2021) to protect important papers, jewelry, cash and any other documents or small items of value. American Security, one of the main brands that we carry at All Secure, has one of the highest ratings for heat tolerance with the ability to protect up to 1800 degrees for up to two hours. We also carry a Gardall 1818/2 safe this also fire rated for 2 hours and has extra deep shelving to support document storage, including legal size.
Burglary and theft resistant safes can also house valuables. Best practice is the higher the value of items, the more investment you should make to protect it. A large consideration for this class of safe is where you will place it inside of your home? Size, concealability and the ability to bolt down the safe (preferably to concrete, not wood) are all important factors when selecting a theft resistant safe. The type of material used in manufacturing the safe should be questioned, including the thickness of the walls and doors. All too often we hear of people’s valuables being stolen from a safe that was easy to pry open or drill into. Asking questions about the security rating of your safe can give you insight into how easily and how long it could take for someone to break in. A B-Rated or C-Rated safe is usually sufficient for protecting up to $30,000 in valuables (Nashville Safe House 2021).
Gun safes do not always come with fire and theft resistance so if this is important, be sure to ask about products that offer these options, like American Security safe (carried here at All Secure). Gun safes are more typically designed to safely house guns, more like a well protect cabinet, from those in the household. Consider the thickness of the walls, quality of door construction, and the ability to move around shelving to accommodate the entire collection, including accessories and ammo (Jamie 2018).
If you would like to talk to a professional about which safe is best for your home or office, we invite you to stop in and speak to one of our Security System Specialist. We have a number of safes on our shop floor to choose from with the highest quality guarantees that come from American Security Safes and Gardall Safes, the two main brands that we offer. We look forward to keeping you and your valuables all safe and All Secure.
References
Allis, Ryan. Purchasing a Home Safe With Confidence . 2021. https://www.safeandvaultstore.com/pages/purchasing-a-home-safe-with-confidence.
Jamie. What To Look For In A Gun Safe. Nov 27, 2018. https://gunsafereviewsguy.com/articles/what-to-look-for-in-a-gun-safe/.
Nashville Safe House. Top 10 Things We Recommend before Buying a Safe . 2021. https://www.nashvillesafehouse.com/faq/top-10-things-to-know-before-buying-a-safe/.