I recently heard of a house burglary, where the victim lost money and important documents. That got me thinking about how much trouble they could’ve have avoided if they had a safe to store important documents in. It also got me thinking about how much secure they actually are. Is it so easy to break into one like in the movies, or is it harder?
So, I did my research on safes and security equipment. That was what made me wonder, how secure are combination safes? The answer is yes. If the person chooses something less obvious than their birthday dates, it is secure. According to experts, it all depends on the type of lock you’re using. But they’re both safe and will be able to keep your possessions secured.
However, there’s a big difference between digital locks and dial locks. Your final decision will be dependent on what you want to store in there and what is the purpose of the safe.
It’s important to point out that safes are indeed supposed to store valuable possessions but if your item is too expensive, it might be a good idea to store it with your bank. You could get a safe in a bank but the costs might not justify the hassle.
Now, if you want to use to put some cash or store a weapon, the combination safes are a great choice for you. Just check it out below if the model you’re considering has the necessary features for your intended use.
If you already have it in your mind to purchase a combination safe, I highly recommend the First Alert 2087F Waterproof and Fire-Resistant Bolt-Down Combination Safe. As the title says, it is both fire and waterproof. What I really like is that it can be secured by bolting it down to a solid floor so it cannot be taken away easily. Its added security feature makes this safe one of the best in the market. Click Here to get it more details.
Digital Lock For Speed
The opinion on digital locks are quite divided in the locksmith community. The truth is that digital locks are great if you’re using them for the right reasons. They’re faster and easier to open and change the code.
So, if you’re storing a gun, they might be better because you’re probably wanting to get the gun as fast as you possibly can. Also, if you want to change the code, you can easily do that. As many times as you want and pleases you.
Now, digital locks do fail. They have a 3% failure rate, which means that at every 100 attempts they will fail and open 3 times. So, you gain on speed and usability, but you lose a little on safety.
For this reason, it’s important to take into consideration what you’re storing. Depending on the use for the safe, it’s better to have a lock that you allow you to access your items faster. You’re usually able to open the safe 1-3 minutes faster with a digital lock.
One highly rated digital safe is the Modrine Security Safe – Digital Safe, Electronic Steel, Fireproof & Waterproof Box with Keypad. It can be mounted on the wall or floor. One of its many features is the ability to transport the safe with you if keeping your valuables with you is all important. Click Here for more info.
Dial Lock For Efficiency
The dial lock is one of the oldest technologies around. With 175 years old, there’s a simple reason why they’re still around; they work. Now, they’re more reliable when it comes to safety than the digital lock. The don’t fail. Still, you get a much less practical technology.
For instance, you can’t open the safe fast. You’ll have to take a few minutes to open it. Then, you have to call a technician every time you want to change the code. If you want to change, you’ll have to spend a few hundred dollars to do so.
The advantage is that it won’t fail. So, if you’re storing money or valuable objects, it’s probably the best option. In this case, you won’t be likely to be in a hurry to get the content of the safe out of it.
So, before making a decision, take into consideration what you’re storing in it, if you’re willing to spend the additional money when you want to change codes, and if you want speed or extra security.
Avoid Sequences And 5 Or 0 For Your Password
You want to choose a good password but it can be so difficult that you won’t even be able to remember. If your safe allows for at least 4 digits, you’re lucky. You can pick 10.000 possible combinations.
The only problem is that people choose obvious passwords most of the time. So, here’s what you should avoid at all costs.
Dumb sequences like 0000, 1234,1212,0001, and etc. Also, avoid personal dates like your birthday or your kids’, your bank pin code, and etc. After those, the most common password has 0 and 5 in it.
So, if you avoid all of those, your password will be much safer. Now, an important note is that it shouldn’t be so hard that you will forget, especially if you rarely access your safe.
You can start with sequences that don’t repeat elements and that use numbers that are far apart in the numerical sequence like 2 and 7 instead of 2 and 3. If you follow this and remember to have your password jotted down somewhere in case you forget; you won’t have problems.
Always Pick A Little Larger Than You Think You’ll Need
When it comes to the size of the safe, it’s impossible to generalize. It all depends on your particular needs. Now, what can be said is that the number 1 thing people regret is that they bought a model too small for what they wanted.
So, if you want to store a gun, for instance, always look for a model that is a little larger than your gun and the other components that you may want to store in there like the cartridge, accessories, and etc.
Remember that safes are measured in cubic feet and not inches. A good way to compare, if you’re buying online, is to measure a box. This way you can have an idea if your objects will fit in.
The math is quite simple to do with a calculator. Multiply the depth by the width and by the height. Then, divide the result that is in inches by 1728 so you can convert it to feet. There you have, your result in cubic feet.
Also, measure the outside to make sure that the safe will not take too much space in your office. If you’re placing it inside a drawer or other furniture, make sure to measure that space as well to make sure that everything fits.
10 to 7-gauge Steel For Quality
You don’t want to spend hours deciding upon whether or not you’re going to get a dial or digital lock, then spend more hours trying to figure out which combination to use, so someone can come in use a hammer and break your safe. This is why you need a material that is virtually impenetrable.
So, aim for 10 to 7-gauge steel. If you go anywhere outside of this, chances are that the body of the safe will be thin enough that a hammer can break it. Obviously, that is not what we want, so make sure that you choose it right.
Beyond this, you also want to look for a model that is constructed in such a way that you won’t have problems with it rusting or breaking.
1 Hour Fire Rating Resistance
The most common things that people store in safes are guns, money, documents, and jewelry. So, it’s important to buy a safe that is fire resistant so it can protect your things in the case of a fire.
Now, gun and jewelry are usually more resistant than paper. Since documents and money are usually paper (unless you’re storing credit card and flash drives) you have to consider the temperatures that the safe can resist.
A 1-hour rating safe is what you’re looking for to protect your money. Paper burn at 451 degrees Fahrenheit and a house fire can get up to 1200 degrees. So, this kind of safe would be able to protect your money and paper documents for up to 1 hour under those circumstances, which is usually enough time for the fire department to put out the fire. This is why I recommend the highly rated First Alert 2087F Waterproof and Fire-Resistant Bolt-Down Combination Safe. It can withstand temperatures up to 1700° F. You can purchase this safe by Clicking Here
Final Thoughts
So, this is everything you need to know about safes. They’re indeed quite secure as long as your password is good. If you use a 1234 sequence, no security system will be able to protect you.
Also, avoid things that sound good but are too well-known like the Fibonacci sequence. As long as you do all this, your combination safe will be secure.