Selection Criteria for Buying a Safe

Investing on a home safe will protect your valuables, ammo, and other important documents from burglary, flood, or fire –provided that you choose the right safe.

Do not spend a fortune on a safe that does not have the features you need. At times, we are tempted to take salespeople’s advice, but of course they would always be recommending the most expensive model. Before we proceed to the pointers in choosing the right safe, it’s good to know that some home safes come with insurance coverage as long as they meet required specifications.

Choosing the right safe should not be tricky or confusing – if you have clear points to consider:

1. Check out the safe’s fire rating – Most packaging shows the amount of time the safe can withstand fire without its contents combusting. The minimum fire rating is 30 minutes and the temperature the safe can tolerate depends on the items you will store inside. For example, papers will burn at 350 degrees Fahrenheit while computer discs and USB devices can only endure 150 degrees.
2. Inspect the cash rating – a significant indicator of the monetary value of the safe’s contents. A safe’s burglar resistance is measured through its door and wall strength, complex locking mechanism, as well as its weight and dimension (will it be difficult to move it from one location to another?). High cash rating means better resistance to break-ins. Fire rating is not the same as the cash rating – they are two separate features and a high cash rating does not guarantee fire resistance ( and vice versa).
3. Find out the safe’s storage capacity. Will you require more space in the future? This should give you a solid idea of the size of the safe you want to buy. Keep in mind that the smaller the safe size is, the more convenient and versatile it is to be placed in other locations like in your mobile homes, boats, and etc.
4. When it comes to the types of lock, pick a safe that has a combination lock. This type of lock is easy to remember. Meanwhile, if you pick a keyed lock, you might lose your key over time.
5. Choose between portable or permanently installed safe. If you want the flexibility, you may pick a portable safe. However, make sure that all adults in your house can carry the safe during in case of emergency.
6. Check your budget – but only buy the top grade safe that meets your requirements. Pick a safe that meets most of your requirements if you can’t find the one that absolutely has all the features you want. A few features (e.g. size or weight) may not be as crucial as others. For instance, never prioritize design or budget over cash and fire ratings.

Having a securely-locked, well-hidden, and highly durable safe is a good investment for your family. Make sure that the rest of your family know where the safe is located in case of an emergency.

Mitchell Wakehurst also writes for http://www.authorityspecialists.com.