Value Safes

Home safes are a good investment.  Think about the valuable documents you have around the house - what would it take to replace them if they were stolen or destroyed in a fire?  And what about valuable jewelry and cash?  If you’re considering purchasing a home safe, make sure that it carries a good burglary and fireproof rating.  Example burglary ratings are UL TL 15 and UL TL 30.  These ratings ensure that the safe has been tested against attempts to open it by professionals.

Example fireproof ratings include a 1-hour fireproof rating and a 2-hour fireproof rating.  These ratings mean that the safe has been tested under actual fire conditions to make certain that the contents remained safe from fire and water damage.  Also, if you choose a cabinet style safe, be sure to use the boltholes in the bottom to bolt the safe down - this will ensure that it is not carried off by determined thieves.  For more information on home safes.

When you think about the security of the valuables, cash and important documents used by your business, one of the first things that should come to mind is safes.  A good bolted down safe can keep burglars from getting to these valuable items - they’ll have to settle for what’s easiest to take if they break in.  Think about the documents or computer backup data that would be nearly impossible to replace if lost in a burglary or a fire.

So a good burglary rated, fireproof safe is a must for any business.  Check to make sure the safe is rated in both of these areas.  Some common burglary ratings are UL TL 15 and TL 30.  Some commone fireproof ratings are a 1 hour or 2 hour fireproof rating.  These ratings mean that these safes have been tested to withstand burglars attempts to open them and tested under actual fire conditions.  If you need to safeguard valuable computer backup media, make sure you get a special media fireproof safe, as these have a much stricter rating to ensure that your media would not be damaged during a fire.

Jewelry safes offer a high degree of security for your valuables.   Jewelry safes carry a burglary rating, such as the UL TL 15 or TL 30 rating.  This rating means that the jewelry safes have been tested against attempts to open them.  For example, a TL 15 rating means that a professional locksmith using common locksmithing tools was unable to open the safe in a period of 15 minutes.

Jewelry safes are constructed of special materials.  They usually have 5″ thick doors and 1-1/2″ thick steel bodies.  They use 1-1/2″ steel locking bolts, and the locking mechanism is surrounded by drill-resistant hardened steel plate.  They are designed to be bolted to the floor from the inside.  So if you want the most in security for your valuables, consider getting a jewelry safe.  For more information on jewelry safes.

One of the things I have noticed is when it comes to safes, the B rated Safes are the neglected category of safes.  Nobody is out there searching for these types of safes.  I think its just a lack of education in the market place.  We locksmiths, as a group, are a lot like magicians.  Pretty tight lipped when it comes to talking.  We really don’t do much selling and only answer questions when someone shows a real interest.  However, IF a real interest is shown,  we also have tendency to ramble until our customers eyes roll back in their heads!  Leaving them wishing they would have NEVER asked!  (This is my sin…and confession is good for the soul they say..)

Lets take a look at the model DV2117 from Hayman Safe.  It’s rating is UL listed 1 1/2 fireproof safe.  UL is important here because you may be comparing this model with an SB-02c from Cobalt which is rated as a 2 hour fireproof safe.  You read it and think Wow, its two hours! That’s gotta be better than 1 1/2 hours….right?!?  Ahhhh, slow down grasshopper and let us look at this more closely. 

The two hour fireproof safe is not UL listed. But only “factory tested”…which is good.  But what does factory tested mean?  (I’m using the SB-02c as a hypothetical subject to compare against) The Sb-02c is put in a furnace with propane torches hitting it on all sides.  They turn up the heat to 1700 degrees for two hours.  Then turn it off and check inside temp to make sure it didn’t go above 350 degrees inside and charr the paper.  Well, maybe it charred it just a little…thats good enough for the factory and great for advertising! 

However, the same test at UL and it would be knocked down to the lower category and retested.  They also test with high quality testing equipment where the factory just throws it in the oven and sets the temperature at 1700 degrees and bake for 2 hours. Now then its important to point out what the fire department tells us about fire.  Which is a normal home or office burns at only 950 degrees…relatively cool when compared to 1700+ degrees. (not that I want to be in either situation)  So both safes have darn good protection. 

Hmmm. This should give you some food for thought. Personally, I would buy the B rated over the SB-02c because I know without a doubt what it will do in regards to fire.  Now in regards to burglary.

This is a UL Test B Rated safe.  Which means these guys have pulled out the tools and  crowbars etc.  and have scientifically beat the living snot out it!  They have also drilled on it, hammered, pry-ed to their hearts content AND it still held up.  Gotta love that.  Where the SB-02c has not been through this rigorous testing.  The factory only looked at it and designed it to hold up to similar attacks that UL performed on the B rated safe.  They may have even taken a crow bar and tools to it on the back driveway to see if it holds up.  “It did, GREAT lets call it a fire and burglary safe!”  Not very scientific but at least they did something to test this model.

You should now have a good feeling about why you would want a UL listed fire and B rated safe.  Take a look at the other postings on b rated safes to get a good idea of how this safe is made.  It is basically a medium size safe, with a wall bolt locking mechanisim and two holes in the bottom to secure it to the floor for total protection.  Take a look at one at www.ValueSafes.com for more size deminsions and details of price.

B Rated Safes are the first in a series of Burglary rated safes by UL.  And the first that would be considered a High Security Safe. There are also C Rated Safes and E Rated safes.  However, nobody really makes the C Rated Safes or E Rated Safes anymore.  The reason they quit making them is because of insurance companies.

Sound strange I know.  But here is why, the difference between the B, C, and E rated safe is not that much.  They normally just add a little more hardplate to the door.  Granted it is as much as another 1/2 inch of hardplate.  Which is a lot of hard plate.  But from a perspective of trying to break into the Safe.  Its not alot.  Because once I have the safe prepared to drill, which takes about 15-30 minutes, it doesn’t take that much longer to go through the an extra 1/2 inch plate.  Notice I said drill, you don’t really drill because hardplate is drill resistant.  So you have to melt the steel.  Well once I’m melting its just more of the same.  Its the prep time that really slows things down.

This is why insurance companies said they wanted to use a TL Safe  or a B-rated instead of the C or E rated Safe.  So there are our choices. 

This review is on the Hayman Safe model DV-1215.  The DV stands for Dyna Vault.  Cool name for their B Rated safes.  This first thing you will notice on the picture below is NO bolts on the door!  The entire inside wall moves into place to lock the door.  Notice also there are no outside hinges. Just one door length hinge/ lockbar that folds into place to keep the door locked.  Great design on this safe to protect against burglary.  One of the best B Rated safes on the market today.

UL listed 1 1/2 hour fireproof safe as well makes this a high quality, high security safe.  It really gets my vote as the best B-Rated safe for its size in the industry.  Oh, one last item. You will notice two holes inside the safe on the bottom.  Those are to be used to bolt it to the floor.  Most safes only have a single bolt hole. This one has two for double security against a thief walking off with it.