Vaults and Safes

Fireproof home safes that also carry a burglary rating can perform double duty — they can protect your valuables from burglary and damage due to a fire.  There are separate ratings for burglary and fire, so be sure and check the ratings on the safe you are considering purchasing.  An example fireproof rating is a 1 hour fireproof rating.  An example burglary rating is a TL-15 or TL-30 rating.

The 1 hour fireproof rating means the safe has been tested under actual fire conditions to make sure that the contents did not receive any damage due to the fire or due to the water used to put out the fire.  The TL-15 or TL-30 burglary rating means that the safe has been tested to resist the attempts of a professional locksmith to open the safe given 15 or 30 minutes to do so.  For more information on fireproof home safes.

Fireproof gun safes can provide protection for your valuable guns against the harmful effects of a fire or from burglars.  Fireproof gun safes carry a fireproof rating that ensures they have been tested under actual fire conditions.  For example, a 1-hour fireproof rating means that the safe has been subjected to a 1700 degree F fire for a period of 1 hour, and that the temperature inside the safe did not rise above 350 degrees F.

This is a low enough temperature to protect your guns from permanent damage.  Fireproof safes are also tested for water resistance, to guard against the water used to put out the fire.  During the fire test, the humidity is tested to make certain that it does not rise above 80%.  For more information on fireproof gun safes.

These days, a good gun safe is a necessity if you are a gun owner.  Gun safes need to do two things - restrict access to the guns to only authorized persons, and protect your valuable guns from burglars.  An electronic gun safe is one of the most convenient types, because they are very secure yet easy to open when you need access.  Most electronic gun safes use an electronic keypad type locking mechanism.

This type of locking mechanism uses an electronic keypad similar to the ones found on ATM machines.  You simply enter the proper PIN number to gain access to the safe.   Some electronic gun safes have an audit feature, which allows you to assign multiple pin numbers to multiple people.  You can then tell when and by whom the safe was accessed.  So if you’re in the market for a good gun safe, consider getting one that uses an electronic locking mechanism.  For more information on the electronic gun safe.

Wall safes are a convenient place to store your valuables.  And, if installed correctly, they are one of the most secure types of safes you can buy.  This is because they can’t be easily carried off.  When looking at wall safes, make certain to check that they carry burglary and fireproof ratings.  Look for a TL15 or TL 30 burglary rating and a 1-hour or 2-hour fireproof rating.

You can also choose from a number of different types of locking mechanisms.  There are keylock, combination dial, and electronic keypad mechanisms.  The electronic keypad mechanism is the most convenient - you simply enter a PIN number on the keypad to access the safe.  There’s no difficult combination to remember or keys to lose.  For more information on wall safes.

A wall safe is a secure, convenient place to store your valuables.  If mounted in the wall correctly, a wall safe cannot be easily carried off by burglars.  And if it’s hidden well enough, they may not find it to begin with.  A good wall safe can also protect your valuables from fire.  Look for burglary ratings such as UL TL 15 and UL TL 30, and fireproof ratings such as a 1 hour or 2 hour fireproof rating.

Make certain the wall safe that you purchase is large enough to hold all of the things you are likely to put into it.   Allow a little room for growth.  You can get several types of locking mechansisms, including a a keylock, a traditional mechanical combination dial or an electronic keypad lock.  The electronic keypad type is the most convenient - you just enter a pin number on the keypad to open the safe.  For more information on the wall safe.

Good safes are key to an overall security strategy for your home or business.  A good safe can protect your valuable items from burglars and from damage due to fire.  Be sure to check when looking for a safe to make sure that it carries a burglary and fireproof rating.  Example burglary ratings are UL TL15 and TL 30 ratings, and example fireproof ratings are 1 hour and 2 hour fireproof rated.

Safes that carry these ratings have actually been tested to resist burglars and also tested under actual fire conditions to make certain that the contents of the safe were not damaged.  Also, if you decide on a free-standing safe, make certain that it is bolted down.  Good freestanding safes have bolt-holes in the bottom of the safe for this purpose.  This keeps a would-be thief from carrying the safe to some other place where they will have plenty of time to open it.

Designed for use in jewelry stores, coin shops, and pawn shops, jewelry safes provide a very high level of security against burglars.  A jewelry safe carries a burglary rating, meaning it has been tested to withstand attempts to open it.  An example rating would be a TL 30 rating, which is a very secure safe.  The TL 30 rating means that a professional locksmith, using common locksmith tools, was unable to open the safe in a period of 30 mintues.

Jewelry safes usually have a 5″ thick door and a 2″ thick body.  They have a hardened steel drill-resistant plate surrounding the locking mechanism and use 1-1/2″ thick steel locking bolts.  Most jewelry safes also have a fireproof rating of about 1-1/2 hours.  So if you need the maximum in security for your valuables, consider buying a jewelry safe.  For more information on jewelry safes.

If you’re not keeping your guns in a gun safe, you probably should be.  Many states have passed laws that make it a criminal offense if someone (a child, for example) gets hurt with a gun that you are responsible for.  So a gun safe is necessary to restrict access to your guns to only authorized persons.  Don’t count on hiding them well - kids can find anything anywhere.  A gun safe can also protect your valuable guns from theft and damage due to fire.

Guns safes come in two basic types - pistol safes and gun safes.  Pistol safes are small chest-shaped safes that are primarily designed to restrict access to your pistols.  Gun safes are large, cabinet style safes designed to hold rifles and shotguns.  Some are available with racks for rifles and shotguns as well as shelves for pistols and ammunition.  For more information on gun safes.

Guns safes have 3 main uses.  First, they can be used to restrict access to your guns to only authorized persons.  This is more important now than ever, with many states having passed laws that make it a crime if someone (usually a child) gets accidentally hurt by a gun you are responsible for.  Second, they can be used to protect your guns and ammunition from the harmful effects of a fire (and the water used to put the fire out).  And third, they can protect your valuable guns from thieves.

There are a variety of styles and shapes of gun safes.  Pistol safes, which are small, chest-style safes that open from the top, are designed primarily to restrict access and protect your pistols from fire damage.  They are not really good against burglars because they can be carried off easily.  Rifle and shotgun safes are upright, cabinet style safes.  They open from the front and the interior can be arranged in a variety of ways.  The most common arrangement is to have upright storage for rifles and shotguns, with interior shelving for ammunition and pistols.  For more information on the gun safe.

If you’re looking for a safe to protect valuables at your home or business, don’t forget to check and make sure that the safe carries a fireproof rating.  Most people think about burglary when shopping for a safe, but fireproof safes can be an important line of defense against a fire.  They also provide protection from the water used to put out the fire.  Look for a rating such as “1 hour fireproof rating” on the safe.  This means that it has been tested under actual fire conditions and the temperature and humidity inside the safe did not rise above certain levels.

If you need to protect valuable computer backup media, you’ll need a special fireproof media safe.  These safes are tested to keep the temperature and humidity at an even lower level to keep from harming fragile backup media.  Fireproof safes are designed with special insulating materials and special heat-activated door seals.  So if you’re looking for a safe, be sure to check and make sure it carries a fireproof rating.  For more information on fireproof safes.