Buying a safe is not as easy as going to the store. You must be prepared to realize that you need more than you think.
Ten tips for choosing your safe
Buying a safe isn’t as easy as going to the store and asking, “What’s safe?” However, there are a few tips you should know. Some things can be considered inconvenient truths, but to get the safe that’s right for you, you need to be prepared to realize that you need more than you realize. It is important to approach the purchase of a safe with an open mind and to know that a safe is always an investment. Once you’re ready to do so, these tips will walk you through the process of buying a safe.
How much does a safe cost?
As a rule of thumb, it’s good to spend 10% of the cost of whatever you’re protecting on the safe itself. So, for those who don’t know how to calculate, if you protect valuables worth 10,000 euros, you should spend (at least) around 1,000 euros. So, essentially, take a zero out of the cost of what you’re protecting, and keep your budget low around that number. This allows you to be honest about the amount needed to protect your valuables.
If you are storing a million dollars of gold, you have to go to one of the best security companies to get it safe. You might not spend $100,000 on a safe or a vault, but that’s because, after a while, the safes can’t get much better. But this rule is more intended to illustrate that it is impossible to buy a safe from one of the worst security companies on the market. Using a safe that costs you a few hundred dollars to protect tens of thousands of dollars isn’t smart. Be honest with your budget.
What type of safe should you invest in?
For two main reasons, weight is an important factor in a safe. The first reason is simply that a heavy safe is difficult to move. It is physically more difficult to move the safe or even reposition it. The number one reason someone will attack your safe is to grab it and open it somewhere else simply. If he can’t take it, he’ll try to put him on his back so that he has better leverage to try to open the door.
The second reason is that the weight of a safe means a certain degree of security. A lightweight, safe means that there is less metal used in constructing the safe. This is a big concern when looking at the differences between safes and key boxes. The thickness of the metal (sometimes referred to as the gauge of steel) is a consideration in assessing if an object is safe. The thickness prevents cutting and digging because thicker metal is stronger. Strength means greater security against burglary.
Where to place your safe?
The space between the door and the lock’s body will be the leverage point that criminals will use to open your safe. It can also be the opening used to directly attack the door bolts (depending on the size of the space). The tighter the door is on the body of the safe when it is locked, the less chance there is for someone to break into the safe by brute force.
If you are looking at fire safes and other safes, the opening is also a problem, as fire damage is due to heat and ash buildup. Large breaches greatly increase those risks if you face any risk of flooding or are worried about water damage. In addition, when a crack lets particles into the safe, there is a risk that your valuables will be damaged. When considering the different types of safes, be sure to pay special attention to the door’s seal against the body of the safe.
Take humidity into account.
The location where you have installed your safe may subject the inside of the safe to higher humidity levels. But most safes have moisture issues. And this will lead to rusting problems of the stored metal. Make sure you buy a product with your safe that will regulate or measure humidity. You can get a dehumidifier that doesn’t require a power supply, but be sure to keep up to date with replacements and humidity readings.
This is okay with anything you might need to store, and some climates may not have humidity as a primary concern. However, some rooms may be vulnerable to this type of threat, even if the general climate of the region does not pose a humidity problem. In addition, this type of weather condition can damage electronic devices and some paper documents. Humidity affects most things.
Install a safe
Certain individuals are opposed to bolting their safe to the floor, let alone mounting it on the floor or a wall. But as we mentioned before, a criminal will most likely start their attack on your safe by simply trying to steal it in its entirety. That is why you should consider attaching the device to something. Like with motorcycle safety, you need to think about the best way to mount the safe safely.
This type of work should be done at the time of installation to have all the tools you need to move the safe. But if you plan to wait, make sure you have everything you need and that you don’t have to move the safe around to anchor it.
You may need to drill the bottom of the safe to make mounting holes in it or add cement in one spot. However, the holes in the bottom of the safe should not be left without fixing bolts for a long time, as these holes can be exploited when empty. You should also not leave holes in the bottom of a safe, as animals, insects, and water can get inside.
Locking options for the safe
Often, a safe manufacturer will offer several different lock options that you can equip your door with. The main consideration is choosing the manual dial or the electronic lock. Of course, factors like keys should also be considered, but it’s important to remember that every option you have for opening a safe gives the thief more choices as to how they can get inside. So if you’re worried about theft, be sure to limit the number of ways you can open your safe.
With the electronic locks, you can open the safe more faster, but you should be aware of the device’s battery life. And if it is not resistant to electromagnetic waves or shorted, you will have to face the fact that your safe will not open.There are many more potential problems with an electronic lock, but a manual lock opens more slowly. If you choose to use a key, keep in mind that all locks are hookable. Everything has a downside, so be informed about the product you’re purchasing and educate yourself about your options.
Know the different safes
When considering investing in a safe, you should already be familiar with the different types of safes. Above all, you need to think about why you are getting a safe. What type of threat are you trying to mitigate by putting anything of value in the safe? It is up to you to decide what type of safe you should invest in. For example, the safest listed burglar does not include the same elements as the safest classified fire and vice versa. And it is highly unlikely that you will obtain both types of protection without purchasing such a product.
No matter what you want, be sure to see how the safety has been tested. Understanding the methodology is critical, as testing can be deceptive. Find out what type of stress and how long the vault has been under stress. In the case of fire-resistant safes, they manipulate the variables to keep a safe at a cooler temperature but for a shorter duration. Unfortunately, many companies do not test safes against the most common break-in methods for burglary assessment.
Register your safe combination
When purchasing your safe for the first time, it is important to ask for certain key information. First of all, you want to know how to open your safe. Not just the combination, but also how to enter the combination and even how to change it. Be sure to document all of this information so you can keep it handy. This will allow you to troubleshoot the safe better should you ever have a problem.
It also helps prevent the fear that you have forgotten your safe combination. The more you know about your safety and how to open it, the less you will need a craftsman locksmith. Documentation is the key. And it can help future generations because a quality safe can outlast its users. Many legacy safes have problems with this type of thing because there is no detailed information about the safe or its combination.
Know what you are storing
Security, accessibility, and spoilage issues differ depending on what items you can put in your safe. The type of safe you purchase and the location or method of installation are highly dependent on the contents. And beyond what you put in there, you have to consider your relationship with these objects. The most important question is how often you should access the contents of the safe. And will this opening occur in times of distress or at fixed times of the day?
If what you are storing needs to be accessible at all times of the day, or if it needs to be installed in a dark room, you will need to install a light inside the safe. Lights designed for certain types of safes are ideal, as they allow you to see well enough to interact with your valuables in the dark if needed. But the most important thing about knowing what you are storing is not to start remembering everything you care about until you get safe. Instead, think about the things most people forget to secure before investing in a safe.
Security safe
Safety is about layers. It is not enough to have a big size safe. Even if you learn things that you didn’t know about safes, there is no way to foolproof a security device. Instead, think of your protection as a complex network. All the elements come together to form a structure on which your safe will rest. The goal is for criminals to take security measures before they even have a chance to see your safe.
You’ll still want to secure your front door with the best locks available. And you certainly don’t want to leave your windows vulnerable to criminals. However, just because you have a safe doesn’t mean you will avoid being the target of thieves. Even if the safe is left alone during a break-in, you can’t put everything you own in it. You can’t even put everything you care about in a safe. There are a lot of expensive items that you use regularly or have to keep outside because their only purpose is decoration. As a result, you require additional security beyond a safe.
By following these ten tips for purchasing and installing a safe, you can be certain that you will end up with a safe that protects you better than any other product on the market.It is not enough to read these tips. You have to put these words into practice. Take control of your security and follow these tips to be better protected and have more peace of mind in your home. It takes a lot of stuff to buy the right safe and set it up effectively, but the more you know, the better.
Need a safe installation
Of course, if you do not know how to install your safe or you already have one, but you do not know how to make it as secure as possible, call a professional locksmith. They will give you advice and steps to take to a secure safe.
If you are from Paris and the Paris region, you have Étienne Services! Our locksmith Tampa experts travel to the Tampa region in less than 20 minutes to come to your rescue.
This is why, whatever your emergency repair, whether it is a simple check of a lock, a change of lock, a door shield, or the installation of a highly secure safe, our certified locksmith in Tampa come to your home for a fast, efficient and above all quality intervention! Peace of mind and serenity will be their thanks to our experts, so don’t wait any longer to call us today!
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