CHOOSING A HOME SAFE FOR YOUR NEEDS
We sleep better at night knowing we have locks on our doors and windows and homeowner’s insurance in place. But Mother Nature or criminals often find ways to bypass these protective measures and lay claim to important documents or precious valuables.
“No one thinks it will happen to them, but every year millions of Americans are victims of home burglaries, fires, floods, and natural disasters. They lose money, valuables, and important documents,” says Julie Ryan Evans, consumer editor for SecurityNerd. “A safe can guard against these threats.”
Many pros recommend investing in an appropriately sized safe that’s rated to protect against theft, flood and fire. “This way, you can keep nearly all of your items in one spot,” says Evans. “Of course, if you have a large number of possessions, they may not all fit in a single safe, in which case you may need more than one.”
Keep in mind that if you plan to store digital media like hard drives, you’ll need a safe that’s certified to keep its internal temperature at 125 degrees or below, which may reduce the amount of theft protection built into the safe. That’s why separate safes for separate purposes could be best.
Home safes can feel and look durable, but unless they are constructed to industry standards or carry a specific certification, it’s hard to know what you’re really paying for.
“For fire, UL certifications performed by the Underwriters Lab are the most stringent. They attest to how long a safe has been tested to withstand heat and maintain a maximum internal temperature.” says Evans. To help pick on the right safe, it’s constructive to address four crucial questions: • Where will you put your safe? • What will you be putting in your safe? • What size safe should you get? • How quickly will you need to get inside the safe?
“The more you spend, typically the more protection you get,” adds Evans. “Think about how much it would cost to replace any of the items inside when determining budget as well as how many items you plan to put in there.”