There’s a little more to be aware of, regarding choosing the right fireproof safe. In addition to the letters, there should be numbers 30, 60, 90 or 120 which represents how many minutes the safe can survive in a fire. Look for these initials in the description or model number of a safe to know that it has been officially tested in real-life, practical conditions. These are LFS (a new European standard for safes), SP (a highly reputable Swedish laboratory) and UL (an American laboratory). There are three certificates for fire resistance in safe manufacture. Salesmen will attempt to talk this up, so it’s important to be aware of the standards and ideally see some evidence of fire resistance testing.įire resistance is rated in much the same way that safes are rated against burglary. Some will only provide the minimum level of protection needed to claim fire resistance. Buying a properly certified model is the best shot at true fire resistance, but new owners need to be aware that even then, there is variance between models. However, plate safes provide hardly any resistance and a typical double-walled domestic safe will only give 10 to 15 minutes’ protection at relatively low temperatures. The level of fire defence offered by a safe largely depends on its construction. Most safes will offer a degree of fire protection, but cheaper models may not withstand a real inferno. This is a perfectly sensible use of a safe, but just as not all safes are equally thief-proof, not all are equally fireproof. Important documents, antiques and personal belongings cannot be replaced by a cash value in the case of theft or fire damage.
#Bouncing sentry safe open install
Many homeowners choose to install a safe not just as a security measure, but as insurance against fire damage. Always look at a safe’s rating before making a purchase. All UK insurers accept safes such as this having cash ratings between £6,000 to £150,000, which offer the highest standards in security and are AIS (Association of Insurance Surveyors) approved.
#Bouncing sentry safe open professional
This kind of safe is professional grade and offers double protection, because not only is it high spec, but it can be well insured in the rare case that something goes wrong. Taking the Aver safe from Burton Safes as an example, this model features a three-year warranty and is only available through elite dealers. The key is balance finding a reputable brand at a good price point, with the features you need. Naturally, a branded safe will be more expensive, too. These brands adhere to industry standards and their safes undergo rigorous testing, something which can be checked with a little research. The most obvious counter to this is to choose well-known brands like Chubb, Burton and Churchill safes. Homeowners need to exercise caution, because investing in an inadequate safe is a waste of money, as well as a loss of whatever’s kept inside. On the downside, the increase in demand has also created a market of cheap safes, designed to undercut the professionals.įor this reason, not all safes are the created equal. Together, these factors have resulted in better safe standards overall, with manufacturers communicating to improve their methods and keep designs as compact as possible, for residential installation. Meanwhile, advances in manufacturing mean that small, lightweight safes which are perfect for home installation are becoming more readily available and affordable. More homeowners than ever have personal wealth which requires safeguarding against crime and potential disaster, such as fire. The market for these domestic safes has risen dramatically in the last decade. A safe must be positioned in a carefully chosen point in the house. Homeowners should look at safes which are marketed as ‘home safes’, as opposed to those used by shops and offices, as these will be far easier to install. That’s why it’s important to get a model from a reputable manufacturer, which has been made with all the latest tricks and security measures in mind – and most importantly, a safe which has been tried and tested. Of course, a basic safe will offer security against the average thief, but thieves have been working out ways to get around safes as long as people have been making them. The degree of security a safe can offer does vary.