In today’s world, the importance of protecting any valuable things is really necessary. The solution to this issue plays a very important role. People created powerful security systems in the form of reliable building doors with burglar-resistant fittings, alarms, and security. However, even with such protection from external threats, indoors, we need a proven place that would protect our valuables, weapons, or documents both from access by people who do not have the right to do so and from unforeseen threats in the form of a fire, flood or any other crisis. For this, it is extremely important to use specialized safes, which will give its owner confidence that the contents of the safe are protected. In this article, we will analyze how to choose the right one depending on certain needs and requests, as well as what nuances may arise during this process.
Purpose
This is the first thing you need to build on when you decide to buy a safe. Understanding specific needs will narrow down the options to the bare minimum. Most often, safes are the storage for the following things:
- Weapon.
- Jewelry and money.
- Documentation.
- Family heirlooms, photographs, and valuables.
- Other valuable things.
For example, for all owners of weapons, the presence of a safe for storage is mandatory following applicable law. When choosing a weapons safe, you should first of all understand what type of weapon will be stored, in what quantity and what are the requirements for such a place. For example, for large-sized rifles, a large-sized design for convenient storage is needed. The presence of additional departments for storing cartridges and other accessories is also necessary. Also very often such safes have a door made of impact-resistant glass. It is needed to view the collectible weapons that the owner can boast of without opening the safe itself. For reliability, hiding places must be fixed, for which holes for anchor bolts are provided in the design. If you need to store handguns or other types of small-sized ammunition, almost any safe can do. However, there are specialized items in the form of gun room cabinets that are equipped to properly store handguns.
Size
The issue of the dimensions of the safe for valuables is also one of the main ones. This applies to both internal volume and external dimensions. These two essential characteristics will directly determine how many things you can put inside and where exactly you can place the product itself.
You can place small safes almost anywhere in the room. They are especially popular in domestic households when there are few valuable things, but the need to store them is no less important. Also, their advantage is the ability to transfer or transport to another place without any hassle. This will be especially true if the owner moves frequently. By the way, for such purposes, manufacturers have provided a whole class of special car safes. The round shape allows you to place them in the spare wheel well and thus ensure the safety of your money and other valuables during a trip or parking.
Type of protection
The protective properties of any safe directly depend on its design. In general, there are 4 main types:
- Single wall.
- Burglar-proof.
- Fire-proof.
- Fire -burglar-proof.
The choice in favor of one or another type of safe protection directly affects its possible contents and, most importantly, what main dangers it should protect against. Single-walled structures are perfect for home use or premises with reliable security. They do not have special protection against any kind of kink, but rather keep the contents from unauthorized persons. For example, from children in the house, or colleagues in the office.
Burglary-resistant models, depending on the certification, have the corresponding classes of burglary resistance. However, burglary-resistant safes will not protect their contents from fire. That is why if cash, extremely important documents, photographs, and other valuables are stored in the safe, then the choice in favor of a fire-resistant safe is mandatory. The minimum time for a certified product during which the temperature inside the safe does not rise above 170°C is 30 minutes. This is enough to store paper documents. The higher the certification, the longer the preservation of the contents from fire.
If you are looking for the best design against any type of threat, then fireproof safes are your choice. They use the technology of burglar-resistant and fire-resistant products. In practice, this means having double metal hull walls with refractory material in the middle and certified locks. In short, maximum protection of your valuables.
Lock type
The main interaction of the owner with his safe takes place through the lock. Both the safety of the contents of the safe and the positive experience of use will depend on its reliability and convenience. Depending on the opening method, safes can have the following locks:
- key: the most common type. In addition to simplicity, it has several disadvantages – the key can be easily lost, and it can be faked. It is recommended to choose this type for protected premises or to store not too valuable things in the safe.
- electronic code: the main advantage is convenience because the owner does not need to carry the keys with him. To see the content you enter a passcode. Beware of strangers that can peep at it.
- mechanical code: somewhat more complicated than an electronic lock in terms of “entering” the code. You need to twist the correct combination from the “disks”, but it is almost impossible to peep.
- biometric: the most personalized way to open the safe. To do this, you will only need to attach a fingerprint, as on a smartphone. No need to remember passwords or worry that someone will see them. Your finger is your code.
In models with several locks such combinations are possible:
- key+key;
- electronic code + key;
- mechanical code + key;
- electronic code + mechanical code.
Other recommendations
Research reputable brands and certifications and read customer reviews and ratings before buying your safe. Determine your budget range before starting your search. Safes vary in price depending on their features, size, and level of security. While it’s essential to find the right safe, it’s also important to stay within your budget.
By following these steps, you can make an informed decision and choose a safe that provides the best protection for your documents and goods. Stay safe!
