Over the years we have been in business, we have heard firsthand horror stories of people’s homes and businesses getting burglarized or destroyed by fire, resulting in indispensable assets getting stolen or destroyed. These items include artwork, firearms, jewelry, heirlooms (which have no monetary value), photos, letters, and the list goes on.
When I was growing up, a well-known motorcycle helmet manufacturer used the phrase, “If you have a $20 head, buy a $20 helmet”. That phrase is relatable when you are shopping for a safe. What is the value you are putting into that safe? If it is a few hundred dollars’ worth, and nothing of monetary value, I think we could agree an entry-level would suffice. However, if it is thousands of dollars worth of possessions today and the collection is expected to grow, then think about the value of the contents in relation to the cost of the safe that you plan to secure those possessions in.
When customers come into our showrooms, about half have never really researched a safe prior to browsing. One of the first questions we ask is how close is the first fire department from your home, then we follow that up with how close is the second. The reason we ask is so we have a general idea of what the minimum recommended fire rating should be. Typically, if it is in the city, 45 minutes should be fine, if fire departments are within proximity and if they do not have a silver, gold, or jewelry collection. If the home resides outside of the city, or if they have jewelry or a precious metal collection, then we would recommend a higher fire rating and a non-entry level safe. When installing the safe, consider the consequences of not mounting it down to your home or business foundation. Most safes are prefabricated in its base (flooring) to anchor to the foundation, which restricts the leverage of someone attempting to pry it open or attempting to steal it.
Keep in mind when shopping for a safe, the term “you pay for what you get” is a very practical motto when it comes to shopping for quality safe.