HOME SECURITY Valuables, safe and sound

Be sure to select the right safe for your protection concerns.
By REBECCA SLOAN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
We all own a treasured possession -- something we'd reach for in the event of a fire or something we keep under lock and key.
Whether it's a pricey piece of jewelry, a delicate family heirloom or a stack of irreplaceable papers, perhaps the best place for such items is a home safe.
"Safes used to be found in the homes of only the very wealthy, but nowadays they are becoming more and more popular among regular consumers," said Joe O'Neill of Jensen Lock and Alarm in Liberty.
If you're in the market for a home safe, consider that there are different safes for different purposes.
"There are money safes that protect against thieves, paper safes that protect important documents from fire, media safes for computer files and gun safes for firearms, just to name a few," said Tony Rammuno, a certified master locksmith and owner of Allied Locksmiths of Youngstown.
Fire and humidity
If fire protection is your main goal, check the safe's fire rating.
"Each safe has an hourly rating that indicates how long it will last in the event of a fire," O'Neill explained.
Fireproof safes typically have a two-hour rating, although a one-hour rating might be sufficient to protect documents inside the safe.
"It will depend on how hot the fire is and how long it takes for the fire department to put the fire out," O'Neill explained.
Consumers should also check the safe's temperature rating to find out how much heat it will withstand.
"Some paper safes will protect against temperatures of 1,700 degrees for up to one hour," Rammuno said.
Some safes made to hold important papers and documents are also designed to protect against flooding, and most paper safes are also designed to keep humidity levels low.
But even so, O'Neill said it's a good idea to let the safe "air out" periodically.
"Don't keep the safe closed all of the time. If you are home during the day, open it up and let it breathe for a while," O'Neill said.
Theft prevention
If thieves are your main concern, invest in a money safe that will stand up to thieves like a wall of iron.
"It would take a thief a very long time to break into a money safe. That's why most thieves will just try to remove the safe from the home rather than trying to break into it," O'Neill said.
Bolting the safe to the floor or having it permanently installed beneath a floor or inside a wall will make it virtually impossible for thieves to carry it away.
"We install several safes inside floors or walls, and most people want their safes bolted down as an added protection feature," Rammuno said.
And where's the best place to keep a safe that's not bolted down?
"It should be as inconspicuous as possible. You don't want to advertise that you have a safe. People will think you have something to steal," Rammuno said.
Cost and size
Home safes range in size from somewhat small (about 200 pounds) to very hefty (about 1,000 pounds) and range in price from about $400 to $3,000.
O'Neill said homeowners typically spend about $800 to $1,500 on their safes.
Although a safe should easily last a lifetime with little care or maintenance, homeowners sometimes run into trouble when they forget the safe's combination.
"We recommend using a combination that's based on a number you can easily remember, such as a birthday or anniversary," O'Neill said.
If homeowners forget their safe's combination, they can contact the factory that made the safe.
"Factories keep the combination on file in case the owner loses it," O'Neill said. "Someone from the store where the safe was purchased will contact the factory and get the forgotten combination."
Types of locks
Some safes come with a key instead of a combination lock, and other safes have both a key and combination lock.
Rammuno said the inconvenience of bank safety deposit boxes is another reason more and more people are investing in home safes.
"It's a way to have your valuable possessions right at your fingertips," he said.
Of course, home safes should not be confused with vaults.
"A vault is a fire-resistant room that you can walk into. A safe is a compartment," Rammuno clarified.