Choosing A Safe

Whether you are buying a safe for your personal or business use it Is really best to follow the same path in approaching the situation. The shortest distance between two points is still a straight line. However, here we have three main points to consider:

• Size of the safe.
• Type and degree of protection.
• Price (of course).

If price Is the only consideration then buy the cheapest thing that uses the name safe and you can be certain of "getting what you pay for". Something that is either a glorified hiding place or a housing where you can put all your valuables in one place so a burglar need not search around for them. He can take this box with him or bust it open on the spot! If you are willing to pay for the amount of value received, then you are ready to start looking at safes of quality. In an attempt to find the proper safe for your needs. A well-informed safe dealer will be quite helpful in answering your questions and assist you in making a proper choice.

The first determination should be SIZE. Safes are built to sizes that are only "standard" with the manufacturer and will vary quite a bit with each manufacturer. It is best to measure a few of the larger items you wish to keep within a protective housing. In particular, note the largest item and all three of its dimensions. This is true whether you decide to purchase a fire or burglar safe, (more on this choice later). Always plan on at least 25% more space than you will presently need. This is for two very good reasons; first you may have forgotten some items, or you may acquire more, and secondly a 25% larger safe is not going to cost 25% more. Before you determine the exact Interior size, you will need to find out what sizes exist.

Safes are built to meet certain fixed standards of either fire or burglar resistance. Non-negotiable paper documents and records can safely be housed in a fire resistive safe. However, if the Items are primarily valuables of the type that are burglary "target Items" then a burglar resistive safe should be the choice.

Burglar v. Fire Protection

The basic construction design of a fire resistive safe is a hollow sheet metal casing which is filled with fire resistive Insulation and then tested for performance In an oven for a time duration of 1, 2 or more hours at fixed maximum temperatures. For most circumstances a 1-hour or 2-hour tested safe is sufficient for fire protection.

"The better a structure is built the hotter the contents will burn. Hence, a fire proof building has this hottest type of fire and needs more protection than a wood frame construction".
The basic construction of a burglar resistive safe is solid high tensile steel walls and door. There are many different degrees of burglar resistance. Generally burglar resistive safes are built to meet various Insurance classifications as set out by the Insurance Services Office and thereby earn discounts from basic Insurance premiums.

Balancing the Risks

If the contents of the safe are going to be insured or partially insured and the dollar value is several thousands, contact your Insurance agent to help determine what your savings will be in policy premium for the different classifications. If you have an alarm system that is used regularly, perhaps you can get by with a lower degree of protection. Always remember that burglary protection should begin with good physical protection i.e. dead bolt locks; positive action sliding door locks; etc. All high value Items should be stored in a safe. Then if additional protection is desired, add electronics in the form of an alarm system. When considering security from fire and theft, keep this thought uppermost in your mind...

"Defense is time... given sufficient time, tools, and technology, if man can make it, man can destroy it".

Most safes are priced competitively in all areas of the United States. If you find a tremendous bargain pause a moment... you may not have a real bargain at all!

Having determined the size, type and degree of protection, you can now turn to value. You can compare various features or preferences i.e. color, overall appearance, hardware, interiors furnished or at additional cost etc. If this doesn't give you a final determination between two products try some simple mathematics. Divide the price by the cubic inch capacity and determine how much the unit costs per cubic inch of protected area. Of course it is not necessary to follow the above format however, if you do you will find that you have saved a lot of time, gotten to the heart of the matter rapidly and have made an intelligent purchase.