When you hear someone mention having a safe in the home, does your imagination conjure up thoughts of the mysterious mob boss who has a secret safe built into the wall, behind a picture of his mother? In-home safes are not just for the wealthy and powerful, they are a good idea for the rest of us average, middle class folks. Even if you don’t have anything that’s of value to a thief, you still have plenty of valuable things that would be better off protected in a safe.
For instance, if you were ever to have a house fire that caused significant damage, are your vital records safe? Your birth certificates, insurance papers, Canadiens tickets, financial and tax records, and other important documents are all replaceable, but it’s an unimaginably difficult thing to do. A homeowner could spend months making phone calls, writing letters, providing personal information, and jumping through hoops to replace all of his documents. A safe that’s both water and fire proof will protect those records and save you unnecessary headaches. Of course, you can also stash your black diamonds, your expensive jewelry and other valuable objects to keep them from burglars.
In-home safes are generally rated in three classes, A, B, and C. The class A safe offers the most protection against fire and heat for the longest amount of time. B or C class safes are suitable for most homes, but if you live in an area prone to wild fires a class A safe might be the best option. If you live in a high rise or other large multiple unit building, consider a safe that’s strong enough to withstand a building collapse. This is also a consideration for those who live in earthquake zones. Specialized safes to protect digital data such as computer backup tapes, are available as well.
Whether using a wall mounted safe or a floor model, do your best to hide it from potential thieves. Some will be bold enough to try and steal the safe, so the harder it is to find the less likely it is to be stolen. Wall mounted safes are more secure against theft due to the inherent difficulty in removing them quickly. With a floor safe you can purchase brackets to bolt the safe to a floor or wall.
When using a safe at home, write down the combination and give it to a family member you know can be trusted. If you are the only one who knows the combination and you should become incapacitated, it might be necessary to damage the safe to get it open. Some manufacturers will provide the combination if the owner has previously registered the safe. The safe’s serial number and proof of identity will be required before the manufacturer will release the combination.
Oh, by the way… that’s a lovely picture of your mother.
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