Should You Have a Safe in Your Home?

We all have valuables that we would hate to lose. Some have a high monetary value, others are highly personal, and others are a combination of both.

The question for the average homeowner is whether to invest in a safe or not. In a single word: Yes!

Installing a safe in your home is an inexpensive and efficient way to protect your valuables from both burglary and fire.

A burglar wants to get in and out of your house as quickly as possible. Burglars look for small items that they can stuff in their pockets and get rid of quickly at a local pawn shop or on the street. However, the key is speed.

Any burglar who has to spend more than a few minutes in your home gets awfully nervous. A safe keeps valuables out of sight. If a burglar does come across your safe, it may require too much time and trouble to deal with.

The added fire protection offered by a home safe should be apparent. But, of course, this requires you to purchase one with built-in fire protection. Not every model on the market will stand up to fire, smoke and water damage.

If this added protection is something you are after, you will have to research your options to make sure you are getting what you expect for a product that fits in your price range.

Home Safety TipsDeciding to purchase a home safe for your valuables is the first step in protecting them against burglary and fire. Below are some tips to help you choose the right model and to use it correctly:

• Wall vs. Floor – Neither a wall nor floor safe is necessarily superior in terms of fire or water protection. Nevertheless, there is a big difference for burglary. Wall safes are easier to conceal and much harder to walk away with. We recommend a wall safe for burglary protection where practical.
• Protection Priorities – Not every safe will give you 100 percent protection against every threat. When choosing your safe, you need to decide what is most important. Are you more concerned about burglary? Is fire your main concern? Consider your priorities for protection and size when making your choice.
• Safe Location – Your safe will provide maximum protection against burglary if it is located in a place burglars do not expect. Therefore, do not install your safe in the master bedroom. Choose the bathroom or another room as deep in the interior of your home if possible. If you are using a wall safe, conceal it behind something such as a medicine cabinet, a hinged mirror, or a picture.
• Burglary Decoy – When burglary is the primary concern, you can significantly aid your cause by placing certain decoys around the home. For example, leaving costume jewelry in a jewelry box located in the master bedroom could be enough to encourage a burglar to grab and go.
• Gun Safes – If you own firearms, a gun safe may be mandatory in your local area. Such a safe is an excellent idea even if the law does not require one. A gun safe will protect your weapons from being stolen and later used in a crime, protecting you from potential liability as well.

Having a safe is a good idea for every American household. Why not invest in one, along with the added security offered by a monitored home security system from One-Stop Communications? Our service and equipment help to deter burglars as well warning you of a fire or potential carbon monoxide poisoning.

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