The Benefits of a Home Safe

Do you have a home safe? If you do; congratulations; you made a wise decision! If you don’t already have one, consider getting one; they are well worth the investment. And no, you don’t have to be rich to own or use a home safe; they are for everyone who wants better security for their valuables. Here in Hallandale Beach, FL we have home safes in all neighborhoods ranging from entry level all the way to luxury estates, and why not? These secure metal compartments are useful in securing your valuables from prying eyes, thieves, and even the elements! You can use your safe to protect anything that you deem of value including cash, art, jewelry, documents, and lots more.

Aren’t there pros and cons to having a home safe?

Sure; there are both. This is why Quick Locksmith Hallandale Beach has compiled some facts for you to consider… and then the choice is yours to make! Many times potential safe owners have pre-buying questions about actually owning a home safe. Are they expensive? Are they hard to maintain? Aren’t these just for the rich? What if I forget my combination? Will owning a home safe make me a target? Where is the best room to put my safe? A thousand questions come to mind but in reality, the answer may be different for each person.

What can I put in my safe?

We are not being sarcastic, but you can put anything you want in it! It’s your safe; after all. What is valuable to you and what would you like to provide security for? For some it may be cash. For others it may be a mixture of things like treasured mementos, old love letters, coins and maybe a flash drive, or two.

ATM

No, your safe won’t just spit out money like an ATM but you can store cash in it. The amount is up to you but many use their home safe for a fast and convenient way to access cold hard cash whenever needed. You might have an unexpected bill come up or a sudden medical or veterinary expense. Maybe a business deal has presented itself and you have to act fast to clinch it. Other fast cash needs can include charity giving, car repairs, entertainment purposes and even funeral costs. Many a real estate transaction was made when the new owner put down a cash deposit in good faith.

Other money related items

Your home safe can contain non-cash, monetary items like stock certificates, appraisals, IOU’s, gift cards, credit and debit cards, theater tickets, foreign currency, rare coins, gold, silver bars and the like.

Your arsenal

Ok; arsenal is a bit much, but you can keep a gun or other firearms inside of it. Many a homeowner has invested in a locking gun cabinet or safe for this very purpose. Using your home safe for this is ideal if you only have one or a few guns and would like to keep them out of the hands of children, guests or burglars. Contrary to popular thought, using a locking safe to keep your gun(s) in does not put you at risk for being unarmed in the event of a home invasion or burglary; it’s actually just the opposite. Your local residential locksmith shop will be able to advise you more on this when they work with you on placement and access details.

Diamonds, rubies, emeralds….

Yes, you can keep jewelry items in your home safe. Many homeowners do this and then retrieve the items for show or to wear to a gala event or night out on the town. Often, jewelry replicas are kept in the safe and worn to events while the “real deal” is locked securely away in a bank vault. It’s really up to you which jewelry items are included in your home safe. It may be that your items are not of value (monetarily) at all! Maybe they are merely costume jewelry or homemade items that have a sentimental value to you alone and you would just like to keep them secure.

Documents

Were you aware that home and office file cabinet and desk locks offer minimal security due to their use of cam lock technology? While these locks are better than having none at all, they are not as secure as a home safe. If you have need of mere filing of documents; use a file cabinet. If you want true security for paper goods of value; make use of your safe. You can include appraisals, stock certificates, warranties, credit checks, background checks, passports, visas, stocks, tax returns, bonds, car titles, real estate deeds and more. Again, it’s up to you what you put inside of your home safe! Old love letters from a long lost love or notes from your toddler can be just as priceless as more conventional valuable items.

Where to put your safe

This is a good topic to discuss with your local full service locksmith. There are many things to consider like your home layout, weight and size of your safe, ease of access, and safe contents, etc. Most buyers of home safes want it heavy enough so that burglars won’t just carry it out the front or back door. Safes can be heavy on their own or they can be bolted onto the floor or installed into a wall or alcove. Super heavy safes should always be installed on the ground floor. Safes than can be moved by a couple of people are fine for the second floor. If you have reinforced floors or live in a luxury high rise, these guidelines may be different. Your locksmith tech will know best about weight, access and placement.

Where to buy your safe

You can buy local or online. Safe shops and retail stores carry home safes. You can also buy used or gently used by going to flea markets, yard sales and discount shops. Our recommendation is to work with a local locksmith shop that specializes in sales, service and installation of home safes. By doing this, you’ll save money, get better service and have 24-hour access to emergency help, if ever needed.