Did you know that about
2.5 million burglaries happen in the U.S. every year, and most of them are home break-ins? With these worrying statistics, you need to invest in top-notch security solutions in your home. One of the essential things that can help protect your valuable items is a safe.
You might be tempted to dismiss the need for a safe because you believe you don't have critical items. However, you need a safe to store items that are irreplaceable, items that would stress you out if they get lost. This includes original documents, financial records, legal paperwork, jewelry, or firearms.
But how do you choose the right safe for your needs? Here are three key things to consider when choosing a safe.
1. Size
One of the critical features you need to consider is the size of the safe you need. The number of items you want to store will determine your most suitable size. If you want to put small items like papers, cash, jewelry, or one gun, you can opt for a small-sized safe. If you want to store gun collections or several items to keep, you need a larger one.
You can know the right measurements by measuring the largest items you want to put in the safe. Choose a safe whose internal dimensions are 25% above your required size.
You can also purchase a larger safe than you currently need, as it will save you from buying additional safes in the future when you want to increase your collections. Ensure your placement is big enough to hold the safe.
2. Fireproof Rating
The introduction of fireproof safes was a big breakthrough in the industry. These safe types come in different ratings determined by the period they can protect your valuables in the case of a fire. Some can protect stored items for about 30 minutes, while some can go for hours.
For example, a safe with a 350 one-hour fire rating will keep the internal temperatures below 350°F for an hour, when the exterior aside is exposed to temperatures above
1700°F.
You should choose a safe with a high fire rating because you never know when a fire may start. You need one that gives you enough time to arrive home and save your items. Your home insurance company may also determine the fire rating to choose to be covered.
3. Your Items
The items you will store in the safe will also help you make the right choice. For instance, if you want to store firearms, buy gun safes as they have special features to protect guns. Also, they have accessories for placing earmuffs, speed loaders, and bipods.
If most of your items are metallic, choose safes with rust-resistant properties. If you want to put cash and papers for an extended period, choose a safe with humidity protection.
You should not store data, media, and family photos in a fireproof safe. These safes protect paper from burning by maintaining a temperature below 350°F. They can do this by using mechanisms that create steam in the safe to keep the temperatures low. This humidity can destroy any stored media, data, or photos.
Ensure you purchase a special media safe to keep your hard drives, disks, tape backups, thumb drives, CDs, and DVDs. With professional help, you should find a safe(s) that will protect your items and keep them in good condition for long.
A reliable safe can offer you the utmost protection for your valuables. Roca Lock & Key offers all types of safes and other security solutions like locks with unduplicable keys.
Contact us today for quality services. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
