Despite the security measures put in place by the police, the number of recorded burglaries continues to increase. To protect valuables, many people tend to turn to safes. Considered as true burglar-proof storage boxes, these offer better accessibility while increasing the level of security of your valuables. Thanks to an electronic safe , for example, you will be able to secure confidential documents, protect them against fire and water. Unlike a bank safe, you won’t pay anything as rental fees for the storage of your computer data, valuables, important documents, etc. That’s why storage boxes of this size are considered an absolute insurance policy for people who want to better protect their valuables. However, it is now clear that some people encounter difficulties when choosing their safe. With this in mind, we provide you with the important criteria to follow in order to achieve this with complete peace of mind.
Talking Points
- How to choose your high-security safe: The different types of safes
- How to choose your high-security safe: the right size of the storage box
- How to choose your high-security safe: the level of security
- How to choose your high-security safe: what is the locking system for your safe?
You will find on this site several other more interesting articles such as the multipoint lock
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How to choose your high-security safe: The different types of safes
Today, there are several types of safes specifically designed for the preservation of valuables and sold on the web. However, each of them has its own peculiarities. Here are some of the safes available to you:
Built-in safes
Built-in safes are considered a high-security storage box and can be installed when building a house or apartment. Likewise, its installation is particularly required for obvious reasons of safety and common sense. Setting up such a safe requires a solid and thick wall. At this level, it is not necessary to cut the drywall before embedding the safe in it. Apart from its concealing power, the wall does not provide any protection to the built-in safe.
Safes to be placed
Of course, freestanding safes are those that need to be fixed to concrete floors with dowels. Although this storage box guarantees the protection of valuable items, it is still vulnerable on certain levels. This is because safes of this size can be stolen by thieves. Regarding their installation, you should know that the walls are pre-drilled. So you can fix your safe to the floor and seal it. This prevents any pulling. Compared to the built-in safe, it is not necessary to fix it on a worm-eaten floor with 40 mm screws or to seal it with plaster.
You will find on this site several other more interesting articles such as the door opening system
How to choose your high-security safe: the right size of the storage box
To choose a safe, you must necessarily comply with the use you want to make of it. At the entry level, you will find some metal safes with a selling price of less than 100 euros. It usually works with a key or code.
Indeed, a small safe resembles the one usually found in hotel rooms. It is very useful for people who want to protect money or small valuables from burglary. This is one of the reasons why the size of a safe is one of the first criteria for choice.
If you want to store passports, important documents or a few small valuables, it would be ideal to use a small safe with 5 to 6 L. However, those with much larger volumes (about 10 L) are specifically designed for storing objects such as cameras. If you want to have security products to protect your computer, the ideal would be to opt for a large safe with a volume of 10 to 20 litres. At the same time, a high-security storage box with a much larger liter will be ideal for the security of large items. In light of all this information, you should know that the capacity remains the first criterion for choosing an ideal safe for these valuables.
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How to choose your high-security safe: the level of security
The level of security against theft remains very important when choosing a safe. At this level, the rule is quite simple. The thicker the fronts of your storage box, the better levels of security you’ll have. For small safes, the thickness should be between 1 and 2 millimeters. If you want to have products with optimal safety, the ideal would be to opt for those that are several centimeters thick.
Similarly, the resistance time also plays an important role in the security level of important documents and valuables contained in the safe. That’s why it’s important to choose a storage box made from much more resistant materials. At this level, the ideal would be to turn to security steel safes. Above all, choose those with an anti-theft protective coating. Likewise, the quality of the lock and the number of points should not be neglected. Above all, choose safes with high-quality security points.
How to choose your high-security safe: standards and certifications
Today, many people tend to turn to safes that are not standardized and certified. This can be beneficial when you simply want to store and secure official documents in your storage box. However, standardized and certified safes will be of great use in case of storage of valuables and insurable items.
Indeed, the EN 14450 standard is specifically set up to regulate safety deposit boxes. In general, it groups the elements into 2 main categories (S1 and S2). This standard offers a good resistance time against burglary. By buying a product of this quality, you will be sure to provide optimal protection against theft set up by burglars. There is no insurable value on products sold in France. So don’t hesitate to opt for safes of this size in order to have an effective security system to protect your belongings.
In addition, there are also other certified safes that fully meet the EN 1143-1 standard. Although it costs more, these security products will allow you to be compensated in the event of a burglary. The EN 1143-1 standard perfectly defines true safes. Classified into 7 categories, these safety products are tested and approved. Any certified vault offers a guarantee of quality and trust to users. That is to say, it specifically responds to a set of specifications, accompanied by a number of factors such as:
- Anchor and locking points;
- The sufficient sheet thickness for the design of the safe;
- The level of protection required;
- Etc.
The certifications of the EN 1143-1 standard also offer the possibility of quantifying the level of reimbursement offered by the insurable system against theft. To improve the security of comforts, locks certified to A2P standards are used during their design. This makes it possible to effectively fight against any attempts at lockpicking, burglary, break-in and theft.
By choosing the European standard EN 1047, you guarantee the protection of confidential paper documents against fire. Indeed, safes that meet this certification have a real fire protection system. They are therefore able to provide fire protection for all valuables in them. Whether it’s valuables or official documents, European standards will allow you to safely protect your precious items. The increase in temperature in the event of a fire will have no impact on them since your safe has good fire resistance.
How to choose your high-security safe: what is the locking system for your safe?
The locking system is considered one of the important criteria that should not be neglected when choosing a safe. At this level, locking can be done in different ways. To ensure better protection of confidential documents and valuables, the lock and bolt must be selected to perfection.
In fact, there are different models of safes, some of which have certified locks. By way of illustration, it can be cited:
- The electronic lock;
- The key lock;
- The code lock;
- The biometric lock;
- Etc.
Safe Locking System: Key Lock (Key Lock)
The key lock is considered to be the simplest and most classic locking system. However, you should not lose the keys to your safe. Although this phenomenon seems obvious, you should know that it is a high-security storage box and has good resistance to burglary. This will make it difficult to break the safe lock to access the valuables inside.
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Locking system: the combination locking of the safe
For a few years now, there have been pro-classic safes. These have 2 locks that come together to form one. If you choose a storage box with this locking system, it will be necessary to compose the right combinations and use the key to open the trunk.
Safe Locking System: From Locking to Electronic Locks
To achieve ease of use, safe designers have started using electronic locks as a locking system. Users will only have to dial the secret electronic code on the digicode to open the safe. The main advantage of this locking system is that several people can know the code of the electronic lock. This significantly reduces the degree of security regarding the protection of confidential documents and valuables.
Users will no longer face lost keys, unlike the key locking system. Being programmable and reprogrammable, the electronic code is battery-operated. It usually comes with spare keys. Today, there are different models that have an external backup power supply allowing owners to access their precious items.
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Safe Locking System: Combinations of Electronic Code and Key Lock
To effectively combat theft and burglary, the security safe designers have implemented the locking system that can combine the electronic code and the key lock. These two technologies combine to provide a higher degree of security. Indeed, the opening of the safe takes place in 2 steps. In the first place, you need to enter the correct combinations using the digicode. Next, insert the trunk key to open it.
Safe Locking System: Biometric Locking
Technological advances continue to revolutionize the locksmith industry. Today, designers have the ability to use fingerprints to unlock home doors. Such a locking and opening system also applies to safes. Now you can use your fingerprint to securely open your valuables storage box. Although this closure system is not very common, it is still reliable and increases the degree of security of your precious objects. In the event of a malfunction, the designers will provide you with a backup key so that you can access the contents of the vault. All in all, the system for locking and opening safes should be chosen according to the number of users. Similarly, you can comply with your ability to lose keys or forget an electronic code. As you can see, choosing a safe with 2 locking systems allows you to benefit from a fairly high level of security. Also, you should know that the degree of security of safes is relative to their use and the precious objects you want to put inside. Also, don’t forget to think about how often you use the safe before choosing which locking and opening system will suit you best.
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We recommend that you check out several other articles on our site, for example, the one by locksmith Saint Josse
