Should You Install a Safe?
August 27, 2015
As a property owner, you likely have safety on your mind. You may not think about your property's security every day, but you still want to make burglars think twice.
If you've already installed strong deadbolts at home or a restricted key system at work, you've done well. But you might need additional protection for valuables and critical documents. Should
Follow the advice below before you install a safe at home or at the office.
Know Your Needs
It's one thing to buy an inexpensive safe that holds a little petty cash or your child's stamp collection. But if you want to protect original birth certificates, corporate records or significant
Of course, not every retailer offers all kinds of safes. Still, your locksmith can generally provide most of the models mentioned below.
Commercial Safes
If you operate a high-volume cash flow, consider installing a:
- Standard, heavy-duty safe (resists forced entry by pry bars and sledgehammers)
- Rotary hopper-style safe (allows easy insertion of cash and coin via a rotary hopper)
- Deposit slot safe (similar to the above; allows for cash envelope deposits)
- Under counter safe (easily attaches to your counter or the floor beneath)
- Floor safe (easy to install in floor slab during new construction; conceals safe from thieves)
- Drop drawer safe (allows multiple employees to deposit money without opening safe)
Home Safes
In general, your home safe doesn't need to be as advanced as a commercial safe. Of course, your product choice depends on what you plan to store. If you store one-of-a-kind, impossible-to-
Ask your locksmith what product is best for your security needs. You may decide on a wall safe or a hard-to-move model.
Investigate Safes with Fire Protection
If you knew that your home or business might face a chance of going up in flames during your lifetime, would you think differently about your safe's fire protection level? Remember that neither
Before you buy your safe, ask your locksmith for the best fire rating according to what you plan to store. Here are several examples:
- If you plan to store papers (birth certificates, wills, receipts, insurance papers, etc.), choose a safe that has a UL 350 rating for optimal fire protection.
- If your safe will guard computer media, film negatives and the like, invest in a safe with either a UL 72 or UL 125 rating.
- If you need fire protection that lasts longer than an hour, ask your locksmith about 1-, 2- or 3-hour safes. Otherwise, your documents or data may go up in smoke after an hour passes.
Remember-the above UL listings reference U.S.A. manufacturing ratings. If you purchase a safe made in Australia, the listing might differ. Ask your locksmith how the above ratings correspond
Pay Attention to the Locking Mechanisms
Even if you find a sturdy, fireproof safe you like, don't forget to notice the locking mechanism. For a higher level of security, choose from standard (group 2) combination locks, manipulation-proof combination locks, key-locking dials with combination lock mechanisms or digital combination locks.
No matter your locking mechanism, it's only as good as your safe is tamper resistant. Check to ensure your safe's anti-burglary or impact rating. Then, you can feel good about the lock plus its resistance to thieves' efforts.
Need more information about safes and locking systems? Talk to your friendly locksmiths about their security products. They can help you protect what's yours and stay secure in the years ahead.
