3 Tips For Buying A Used Safe

1 July 2016
 Categories: Business, Blog

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Protecting your important documents and belongings inside your home can be challenging. While you might be able to secret these items away from possible intruders, there is always the threat of water or fire damage. Having a quality safe in which to keep your valuables is a great way to ensure they are protecting from both theft and the elements.

With the average cost of purchasing and installing a high quality safe falling anywhere between $660 and $871, making the choice to invest in a used safe can be a simple way to save money. Here are three tips you can use when buying a used safe to ensure you end up with a product that will meet your safety needs.

1. Make sure your safe can withstand fire.

Fire is one of the biggest threats facing homeowners today. Both house fires and wildfires (if you live in the West) can cause significant damage to your personal property. Investing in a used safe that offers the most protection against fire damage is advised.

One thing to keep in mind is the importance of finding a safe that can withstand long periods of fire. Residential fires are usually controlled fairly quickly, but wildfires can rage on for extended periods of time. A safe that has the "UL 2-Hour" seal of approval is guaranteed to remain structurally intact in severe fire conditions for up to two hours. Ensure that any used safe you purchase includes this seal of approval.

2. Make sure you can swap out the lock mechanism or successfully change the combination.

Home safes are designed in part to keep important items locked away from those individual you don't want accessing them. When you invest in a used safe, you run the risk of dealing with a dishonest individual who has kept a spare key or programmed the combination to allow him or her to gain entry and steal from you in the future.

Finding a safe whose lock mechanism can be replaced by a reputable locksmith or has a combination that can successfully be changed is essential when it comes to guaranteeing the safety of your possessions in a used safe.

3. Ensure your home is equipped to support the weight of the safe.

Before bringing your used safe home, it's important that you ensure that your home is structurally able to withstand the weight of your new safe. Taking the time to determine the span of your home's floor joists and locate load bearing walls will help you find the location that is ideally suited to support the weight of a used safe.

If the span of the floor joists in your home is long (15 feet or more), you may need to invest in a lightweight safe or shore up your raised floor to prevent a heavier safe from falling through.

Used safes provide affordable security options for homeowners. Be sure that you are doing your research before bringing home a used safe to ensure you invest in a product that will meet your needs.

For more information, contact State-Wide Lock & Safe Inc or a similar company.