Some Things You Need to Know About Buying a Safe or Vault

According to FBI crime statistics, 1 in 4 homes will be robbed in the next 5 years, which means the time to act is now. You need to do everything you can to prevent your most personal and prized possessions from leaving your house in a burglar’s hands.

Getting a safe or vault for your home is a great way to protect your most important valuables, but only if you choose the right one. Before you buy a safe, here are a few things you should consider.

Size

First, determine the size. Consider the things you would like to store in your safe. If you’re only planning to store a few important documents and some jewelry, you’ll only need a small safe. If you’re going to store your prized collection of rifles and ammunition, you’ll probably want something more like a walk-in safe. Just be sure that you have the space available for such a large addition.

Fireproof Rating

Most people are pretty concerned with the fireproof rating on their safes, which is understandable considering the The National Fire Protection Association’s prediction that there’s a 1 in 4 chance of your house catching fire at some point.

The fire resistant rating on a vault depends on what you plan to store inside it. For example, safes storing paper should not reach any higher than 350 degrees fahrenheit and vaults storing computer media should not reach higher than 125 degrees fahrenheit. Find the right safe for you accordingly.

Burglary Protection

Safes also come with burglary protection ratings, which are based on the values you will store in the safe. When it comes to buying a safe to protect against burglary, make sure that the burglary rating isn’t lower than the content value. Though these burglary protection ratings are generally accurate, sometimes it might be prudent for you to add extra protection, such as an alarm in case of intruders.

Water Resistance

Another factor to look into is the water resistance of your safe. Water damage can be just as harmful as fire damage when it comes to your precious belongings. With that in mind, consider your surroundings. If you live in a place prone to floods, such as areas bordering the Atlantic Ocean that are subject to hurricanes, you should look into a flood resistant safe. If not, spend your money on other features.

Anchor Your Safe

The easiest way for burglars to steal your things without detection is to simply lift your safe and transport it to a location where they can use any time or tools they want. For that reason, you should anchor your safe. This might mean nailing or concreting your safe to the wall or floor. It’s a fairly easy process and will give you more burglary protection.

A safe may be the one thing standing between your precious belongings and a burglar, so use these tips and get the right one for you.