Value Safes

It’s important to remember that most wall safes are not as ruggedly constructed as free-standing safes.  They can’t use the thicker materials because they have to fit in the space between walls and studs.  So most of their security comes from being well-hidden.  Behind something against the wall in the back of closet is a good location.   Also, rather than mounting the wall safe to studs in the wall, you might consider having it concreted in place.

Another fact to keep in mind about wall safes is they are not made using fireproof construction - if you added the extra insulation necessary to make a wall safe fireproof, there wouldn’t be much room left to store anything.  As long as you keep these facts in mind, wall safes can be an effective deterrent against burglars.  For more information on wall safes.

A good wall safe is one of the most secure storage places available for your valuables.  They can be concealed behind a picture, behind a piece of furniture or in the back of a closet.  And, if properly mounted, even if the thief finds it they won’t be able to carry it off to open it.  Wall safes come with flanges that allow for mounting in a wide variety of materials, including walls with metal or wood studs, or even in concrete.

Most burglars are not going to be in your home long enough to find a wall safe- and even if they do, most don’t have the skills to open one.  So your valuable documents and other valuable items are safe from thieves.  Think about what it would take to replace some of the documents that you have around your home or business?  Why not consider getting a wall safe and gaining a little piece of mind in the process.   For more information on the wall safe.

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.

Buying a safe and placing it in a closet may seem like a good idea, but if it’s not bolted down it can be carried off by a determined burglar.  Most burglars don’t have the skills necessary to quickly access a good safe, but if they carry it off where they have time to work on it, that’s a different matter.  So look for a safe that includes boltholes in the bottom.  These boltholes go clear through the bottom of the safe, so you have to unlock the safe to gain acess to the nuts that have the safe bolted down.

If you’re having a new house built, make sure that they include the bolts in the concrete foundation or wood floor.  If you have an existing house, go ahead and take the trouble to have the bolts installed or install them yourself - your safe may not be really protecting anything if you don’t.  Also, be sure to check the burglary and fireproof rating of the safe you purchase for an even more secure setup.

TL 30 safes are safes that have been tested by UL to withstand burglary attempts and to protect the contents from damage due to fire.  A TL 30 burglary rating means that a professional locksmith has attempted to access the safe using common locksmithing tools, and was unable to do so in a period of 30 minutes.  This may not seem like a long time, but to a burglar it is - they rely on getting in and out quickly, and don’t have over 30 minutes to open a safe.  Besides, very few burglars have the skills necessary to open a TL 30 rated safe.

TL 30 rated safes also generally carry a fireproof rating.  A 1-1/2 hour fireproof rating means that the safe has been subjected to a 1700 degree F fire for a period of 1-1/2 hours, and that the temperature inside the safe did not rise above 350 degrees F.  This is a low enough temperature to protect your valuables from permanent damage.  The humidity is also measured inside the safe during the test, to ensure that the safe would protect against water damage due to the water used to put out the fire.  For more information on TL 30 safes.

TL 15 safes are UL-tested safes that are designed to resist burglary attempts.  A TL 15 rating means that a safe has been tested to withstand breakin by a professional locksmith using common locksmithing tools for a period of 15 minutes, and they did not gain access to the contents.  TL rated safes are the highest burglary rating you can get.  TL 15 safes have a 5″ thick door and a 2″ thick body.  They use 1-1/2 inch locking bolts.

TL 15 safes also carry a 1-1/2 hour fireproof rating.  This means that they have been tested to withstand actual fire conditions of 1700 degrees F for a period of 1-1/2 hours, and that the temperature inside the safe did not rise above 350 degrees F.  This is a low enough temperature to prevent permanent damage to most valuables.  The test also measures the humidity level to make sure that the safe would protect the contents from water damage.  For more information on TL 15 safes.

A floor safe is designed to be mounted in a wooden or concrete floor, but provides the most security when surrounded by concrete.  This is true because a floor safe has a drill-resistant steel top plate that a conventional drill bit won’t even scratch.  Most burglars do not have the necessary skill to quickly open a safe with a good locking mechanism, so they usually rely on carrying the safe off somewhere else to work on it.  This is not possible if the safe is mounted in concrete.

A floor safe can also be purchased with a slot in the top, allowing for items to be deposited into the safe without opening it.  These are known as depository safes.  They are not quite as secure as a regular floor safe, though, so you should periodically move the contents to a safer location.  Floor safes come with a variety of locking mechanisms, including the electronic keypad type locking mechanism and the more traditional mechanical combination dial.  For more information on the floor safe.

Floor safes, when mounted in concrete, are one of the most secure type of safe available.  Most burglars do not have the skills necessary to quickly break into a safe, and usually rely on carrying the safe away to a secure area to work on it.  This is not possible with a floor safe.  Floor safes are available in a variety of sizes, and some even have an opening or slot in the top for depositing items without opening the safe.  This type is more vulnerable though, and you should move deposited items to a more secure location periodically.

Look for a drill resistant hard plate when purchasing a floor safe.  This is a top plate of hardened steel that cannot be penetrated with a drill bit - one won’t even scratch the surface of a drill resistant hard plate.  This is important, becuase this is the only area of a floor safe that is vulnerable, the rest is surrounded by concrete.  Also look for a model that has a corrosion-resistant polymer outer coating to protect the metal used in the safe from moisture and the resulting rust.  For more information on floor safes.

A drop safe is designed to allow cash, small objects and enevelopes to be deposited into it without opening the safe.  If your business handles a lot of cash or other valuables that you don’t need access to during the day, a drop safe could save them from being taken during a robbery.  If you deal with cash, deposit large amounts periodically throughout the day so that the cash register doesn’t contain all of your money.  If a robbery takes place, tell the robber you don’t have the combination to the safe or instruct your employees to do this.   The robber has no choice but to settle for what’s in the cash register.

Drop safes are designed for easy deposits, and they have baffles inside so that the contents can’t be “fished” out with a wire or some other mechanism.  But they are not as secure as a regular safe, so you should move your cash to a burglar proof safe or the bank at night.  Drop safes are available in a number of different styles - some have a slot on the top, some have a “hopper” you open (like a corner mailbox), and some have a rotating drum on top.  The slotted types are best for cash.  If you need to store larger items, the hopper type is best.  So why not add some extra security for your business buy using a drop safe?  For more information on the drop safe.