If you are looking to store important paperwork, money or jewelry in your home, you may be looking to purchase a small, at-home safe. However, it is important that you understand that not every at-home safe is made the same. There are key differences between many of the ones that are on the market today that can affect how you operate the safe, how safe the safe really is, and how well it can protect your belongings. Here are a few of the factors you should consider when you are in the market for a new at-home safe.
The Burglary Rating
When you are looking to purchase an at-home safe, you need to pay close attention to the burglary rating on the safe. Safes are all marked with a burglary rating of either "B," "C," "TL-15," or "TL-30."
Any safe that has a lock on it is automatically given a "B" rating. If the safe is made from at least 1/2 inch thick steel and features a one inch door or lock, it will be given a "C" rating. A safe with a rating of TL-15 or TL-30 has been tested to see how long it takes to a burglar to break in with standard burglary tools. One with a 15 rating takes at least 15 minutes and one with a 30 rating takes at least 30 minutes.
Fire Safety Ratings
Unless a safe has a fire safety rating of Class 350 or above, it is not considered to be able to withstand fires. Most fire safety ratings look like this "Class 350 1-hour." The factor that changes is the hour rating at the end. If the rating has a one, the safe can withstand a 1550 degree fire for up to one hour without exceeding 350 degrees internally. If there is a two hour rating, it can withstand two hours of fire without exceeding 350 degrees internally. Most at-home safes have a maximum of a "Class 350 4-hour" rating.
How the Safe is Opened
The last factor you need to consider when selecting an at-home safe is how the safe is opened. Some at home safes are opened by a key, some have a combination, some have a pin keypad and some now can open by reading your fingerprint.
There are pros and cons to the different options. If you lose the key to your safe, you may not be able to open it without the help of a locksmith. Combination locks are good, as you can write down the combination somewhere else. But they can't ever be changed, so if someone obtains the combination, your safe may be worthless. Keypad and fingerprint locks are easy to use, but tend to run on electricity or battery power. If the batteries are dead or the electricity is out, you may not be able to access your safe when you need to. Weighing the pros and cons of each option will help you determine which is best for your needs.
At-home safes are all operated differently and can serve different purposes. Some may work to protect your items in the event of a fire, while others may be designed to protect against burglary. Paying close attention to the burglary rating, fire safety ratings, and how the safe is opened will help you find the best at-home safe for your needs. Get more information from sites like www.vaultandsafe.com.
