Often many people think that looking for the right safe is a daunting task, due to the large selection available on the market place. If you happen to shop and look around, you will find that a safe is much more than a metal box.
There are many features available that separate a good safe from poor quality safes and safes are normally bought for specific purposes, so we have listed some of the most common issues below:
1. Not All Gun Safes Are The Same
Keep in mind that gun safes come in different sizes and styles such as an electronic safe. Most of them are merely gun cabinets with no burglary or fire protection. First, you need to give huge consideration on the type of locking mechanism, thickness, and construction of the safe. Then, your second concern should be the fire rating. A quality safe must make use of a minimum of 12 gauge steel and alternatively 10 to 7 gauge steel.
The door construction is also an important consideration. Remember to buy a gun safe which has at least 1/4″ solid plate steel in the door. You may also opt for gun safes with 1/2″ (or more) steel. On the other hand, you should also give ample consideration on fire ratings. For the information of every reader, a fire rating is a particular length of time in which a specific material can withstand on fire during a fire rating test.
2. Do Not Use A Fire-proof Safe in Storing Media / Data and Family Photos
Yes, it is true that safes have a “resistant to fire” feature, however you should remember that the moment your media / data files and family photos are exposed to humidity/moisture and heat, these will surely damage your valuable things. If you want to store these things in a safe, make sure to purchase a data / media safe which are specifically designed for such kind of storage.
3. Fire Resistant Doesn’t Mean Burglary Resistant
Fire-proof safes or safes with a higher fire resistant rating are normally specifically designed to store paper documents and cash. As a result they are made from a very thin metal and while this is great for fire protection, this type of safe won’t be able great against burglary. So it is important to decide what your main concern is before you buy a safe i.e. burglary, fire, deterrent etc.
4. Consider The Right Place To Put Your Safe
One of the biggest questions that customers have in mind is where to put the safe after purchasing it. If your home or business does not have an alarm system, take note of this rule: Out of Sight, Out of Mind. In other words, put it in a place at home or in the office where it is not usually visited by other people.
Also try to keep in mind that you do not need to place it in a spot that is hard to reach, dusty, and dark. For people who have an eyesight problem, make sure there is enough lighting in the place where you hide the safe. In addition, make sure that your safe has an enough support for example a concrete support is better than wood. Often safes that are set ‘in-wall’ as a wall safe or ‘in-floor’ as a floor safe are a great idea for people looking to be a little more discrete.
5. Anchor Your Safe
When purchasing a safe you should keep in mind that making it as a secure as possible means that you will need to anchor your safe. It is highly recommended to anchor your safe even if your safe is safely hidden somewhere in the house or business. By securing a safe down correctly you limit a potential burglar’s option to penetrating the safe and also remove the ease of stealing the entire physical safe itself.