Want to know what to consider when buying a safe?
Keep reading because your favourite Toronto safe suppliers have several secrets for you.
You certainly understand that a ‘security safe’ is important to protect your valuables, including but not limited to jewellery, heirlooms and a large sum of cash.
But how do you know, which safe is best to meet your needs?
Well, there are some secrets for buying a safe you must be aware of to avert from being a victim of robbery. Neglecting these in the first place while making a purchase may cost you a huge amount later. So, better be careful!
Mentioned below, are a few secrets (that you might know already) on buying a safe. However, we’re pretty sure that you would have never given much preference to them. Do read them for they’re sure to help you in the long run:
1. Never Buy A Safe That is Too Small or Large For your Needs
It may seem obvious, but it’s the most neglected part when it comes to shopping ‘first safe’. In hurry or in doubt, people often end up buying a safe that doesn't fit their needs.
If you’re the one who is going to buy a second safe, you must have already figured it out.
The best way to avoid any future hassle of replacing or arranging a space for your valuable items is to determine your precise requirements prior to reaching the store. Or you can look for the safe that is 3 times bigger than you think you need.
Image Source: https://site.deansafe.com/images/AmVault-x6-sizes.jpg
For an accurate idea, gather all the items: measure their height, width, depth, multiply all the figures and then divide it by 1728. You will get an answer in cubic inches, further divide this by 12 to find cubic feet. (Example: 20” x 15” x 20” = 6000 cubic inches. / 1728 = 3.47 cubic feet).
Also, don't forget to measure the doorways, staircase and the final location where you intend to install it.
You can avoid this mathematical quandary and instead contact us or email us at info@prolocksmiths.com to get it done, in no time.
2. Never Purchase a Safe That Doesn’t Suit Your Place
Modern safes keep your belongings secure in a variety of ways, from repelling human attacks (drills, explosives) to natural disasters (floods, fire and humidity). It’s up to you which type of protection you want. Wondering what to select?
Well, there are mainly three types of safe you can opt - Wall Safe, Floor Safe and Standalone Safe.
Let’s talk about these here:
- Wall Safe - This safe is designed to provide hidden protection to the valuable items and documents you might need on a frequent basis instead of visiting your bank-safe vault.
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- Floor Safe - This too offers the same level of protection as wall safe, but the floor safe provides a high degree of fire protection if installed accurately under a concrete floor. Ideal for keeping gold, silver, coins, and jewellery, you can easily cover it with a piece of furniture such as a sofa or something that you rarely move to remember its location.
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- Standalone Safe - This safe is popular among business houses and consumers due to its unmatchable features when it comes to protection.
As a renowned home security experts, we know there are more than one way to protect your commercial and residential property. At Pro Locksmith, you can find a wide range of commercial, emergency, residential solutions designed specifically keeping in mind the overall safety and security from the burglars.
3. Never Buy a Sheet Metal Wrapped Safe
Selecting the premium quality building material for the safe is equally important than simply installing it at your home. In fact, it’s a prime factor that needs your attention. Your home will only be secure if the safe has both a solid door and substantial thickness of the walls.
Talking about the measurements, the safe you select must possess a 1/2'' thick steel door and 1/4'' thick solid steel body. Lacking the required level of steel, the safe can’t withstand an attack less than 15 minutes in which heavy tools are being used.
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You really need to be suspicious if the safe manufacturer doesn’t list the material used in building safe door and sides. Many local manufacturers, to cut their costs, use sheet metal wrapped around the wood to provide the robust appearance of the safe.
So don’t be fooled by these cheap tricks; check the material of the safe prior making the final purchase. We, as a reputed Toronto Safe Supplier, never compromise with the quality and offer robust solutions for our clients.
4. Never Ignore the Fire Rating When Buying a Safe
Fire rating is the most overlooked aspect when you go for safe shopping. In fact, it needs to be your foremost consideration just like the size, build quality and type.
The recommended rating for purchasing a safe is minimum 1 hour. Safes with less than an hour rating are more vulnerable to fire. That said, you are risking your confidential docs and important things at risk too by investing your hard earned money on underrated safes.
Also, people think that fire rated gun safes provide adequate protection to their valuable items, which is partly true. You can fully trust the U.L. certified safe that comes with a guaranteed protection from fire for more than 1 hour.
Herein, U.L. stands for Underwriters Laboratories Inc. which is an independent, non-profit product safety testing and certification organization.
5. Look for Reliable and Easy- to-Use Locking System
You may have many questions in mind, which type of lock is the best? Does mechanical lock provide more security than an electronic lock? Or an electronic lock will get inoperable in any electromagnetic pulse (EMP) event?
To understand this lock concept, you should first know the hassles with other lock systems. While mechanical locks require timely maintenance, electronic lock may save some of your time.
But when it comes to the highest level of security, redundant locks give you access to both the locking system as they are configured with mechanical and electronic locks in one. That means if one fails, you can access the safe with the second system.
Also, don’t forget to get your lock serviced every 5 years from an experienced and professional locksmith.
6. Fireproof Safes are Just a Myth
There is no such thing as 100% fireproof. Having said that, if a company claims their safe is ‘fireproof’, you need to be extra cautious while investing your money in these safes as it’s a matter of protection of your valuable items.
Instead, you can purchase a fire-resistant safe that provides protection against smoke and heat for a specific period of time as inscribed by manufacturers.
Fire resistant safes provide ultra protection to your confidential documents from the heat damage but these are more vulnerable to cuts or punctured because of its build quality. These are constructed by using thin metal (14-18 gauge) that makes them more susceptible to breakage during a burglary.
7. Documents You Should Keep In a Safe
You can keep all the documents in a safe that you may not need always but are very important anyway, like an insurance policy, security cards, ‘power of attorney’ or other legal documents. But you have to be sure of a fire-resistant home safe installed to the wall or floor.
Also, G. Raye Jones, an estate, trusts and tax planning attorney in Charlottesville, Virginia has stated that “Some people have safes that are fire-approved and bolted down so they can’t be moved,” and “If you’ve got one like that, your documents are as safe there as in a bank.”
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That means you can safeguard every important item in safe but after making adequate arrangements of security that is required to stall the intruders until cops arrive.
8. Never Let Your Neighbors or Friends Know That You Bought a Safe
The secret that you own a safe is as important as to keep as the installation of hidden safes inside the home. If you brag about your safe, it reveals that you’re keeping something very valuable and precious protected somewhere in your home.
That means, if your home ever gets robbed after your proud revelations, the first thing that robbers will look for is the safe. Whilst it doesn’t confirm that the person you have shared the information with is the culprit but it puts your confidential information in public domain, putting your security in jeopardy.
Always remember, you can’t stop your friends or family members to pass on the information you have shared with them. Thus, it is better to be safe than sorry for putting the secrets out.
9. Decide The Secure Location Before Buying Your Safe
You should be clear about the exact location of the safe in your home. In our experience till now, this is one of the toughest decisions for customers. So it's better to choose an appropriate place beforehand so that when a safe technician reaches your home, it can be installed without drawing unnecessary attention from people around you.
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If you do not have home security systems installed in your home, place the safe out of sight where nobody has easy access except you.
Also, make sure you’ve placed it in a well-lit room to avoid any inconvenience of dim or no light (as the hash marks on combination dial lock are hard to see in the low lit area).
10. Buy Intelligently for a Quality Safe
If you have limited budget, don’t settle for a safe made of inferior quality from local manufacturers. Instead, select the best locksmith in Toronto that offers the best in class safety solutions to provide you burglary protection without exceeding your budget.
As your foremost concern is to protect your valuable items from theft, it is crucial to select a safe that you can use for years to come.
If you need any advice choosing the correct safe please do not hesitate to contact us.