If you never owned a safe to store your valuables, then, usually you would have seen them in movies, hotels, or even at friends’ houses or businesses. Have you ever wondered why people choose to invest in using a safe? Because they offer not just better security, but rather peace of mind as well.
Because safes are a great way to add an additional layer of security against burglars, dangers of losing sensitive documents or valuable items in a fire, natural disaster, and water, dust, or environmental damage amongst other things. The first step in choosing an appropriate safe is to determine what you need protecting from (fire, weather, thieves, water, etc.). A second important aspect to consider is the space in which you want to install your safe as this will determine (allow or limit) the size of a safe you can install. Also, consider these:
Water Damage
Water damage is a serious concern for people that want to store important documents and papers. Many safes will keep these items safe even if the unit is submerged in water which is why this method of storage is preferred over conventional vaults or cabinets.
Furthermore, if there is a fire in the building, the automatic sprinkler system will kick in to make everything wet (or that may be done by firefighters). In either case, there is significant chance papers and other items such as stored paintings will remain intact.
Fireproof Your Valuables
If your requirement is mainly to protect your valuables against fire, you will need to look into safe models that can provide resistance to heat. Of course, the ones that provide the longest period of protection (fire protection is measured in hours in safes) will be the most expensive.
A part of this decision can also be taken by considering how fast the fire respondents are, although Houston Fire Department responds fairly quickly, this may not be the case in all situations due to resource limitations. No safe is completely fireproof as that is quite impossible, but you can minimize your losses and protect against fire by considering these factors.
Burglary & Theft
Unfortunate as it is, burglars exist, according to the Monthly Crime rate in Houston TX, theft crime in Houston is on the rise. Everyone needs protection against the old-fashioned burglar but the two main considerations to bear in mind while buying safes are the locking system that has been used and the size and thickness of the unit.
This is important since some safes use physical locks that are easier to access than ones that require thumbprint verification for example. Furthermore, the steel thickness is important because the main procedure for access is drilling through the lock or using a Borescope to dismantle the security system.
Beware of marketing of safes that claims that a safe has more than one lock hence will be difficult to crack. The number of locks is not going to provide you with enhanced protection. It is the nature of the lock itself which determines how hard it is to gain access to. Steel thickness is measured with a gauge and if you are looking for optimal protection, a 12 gauge can be ideal to consider.
The Portability Of Safes
The size and shape of the safe are also important in the sense that the space it requires for installation may limit the type and model of safe you can purchase. For some people portability may arise as a decisive factor if they frequently need to move from one place to another and do not want to leave the safe behind. Whereas if you are thinking of a very large safe that you know will not move anytime soon, then, there are plenty of options for those as well.
Contact Alamo Key & Lock Locksmiths For Safes And Vaults
Our full-service locksmith company in Houston TX can advise you on choices and prices for safes suitable for your requirements. We are able to offer you a wide range of services including safes as well (installations, gun safes, safe cracking, repairs, maintenance).
- Alamo Key & Lock offers fast rapid response 24 hr emergency locksmith service
- Over 200 5-STAR RATING
- Family Owned and Operated Trusted Houston Locksmith
