Do you keep your valuables in an in-home safe?

[ice empress]

Hello all!

I'm currently shopping for an in-house safe, and am wondering if most other PSers keep their valuables (notably, their jewelry) in a safe too?

We are looking for one that is fire-resistant, water-resistant, and fairly substantial (400-650 pounds).
Any recommendations?

Thanks in advance!

 

[VRBeauty]

I do. My only recommendation is to buy A larger safe than you think you’ll need. That’s the advice I followed when I bought mine, and I’m glad I did.

 

[TooPatient]

I won't comment as to where I keep my valuables, but I will speak in general terms based on what I have researched.

Any in home safe should be secured into the structure/foundation of the house. Pry proof. Not electric lock.

There was a discussion on here awhile ago with great details on what to look for. I think it was Perry who offered great information.

 

[Austina]

If possible, have the door to wherever you locate your safe, alarmed.

 

[missy]

Yes we have our safe attached to the wall and the floor and we have an alarm and live in a 24 hour doorman building.

 

[blingbunny10]

One tip I have is to look into gun safes. When I was looking, it seemed like safes marketed for holding guns were cheaper than ones marketed specifically for holding jewelry. Not 100% sure it’s still true, but I definitely saw a big price difference.

 

[missy]

One tip I have is to look into gun safes. When I was looking, it seemed like safes marketed for holding guns were cheaper than ones marketed specifically for holding jewelry. Not 100% sure it’s still true, but I definitely saw a big price difference.

IDK about the price but my parents keep all their valuables including important documents in a gun safe that weighs a few tons at least. It is one monster of a safe. You need a lot of room for this safe and it has it's own room lol.

 

[ice empress]

Thanks all! The recommendation not to have an electric safe ie a good one!

Does anyone know if there are particular differences between a gun safe and a ”standard” safe? Or is it more semantics?

 

[lyra]

I use a safe. To be honest, there's far more paperwork in the safe than jewelry, but it's mostly a fireproof issue. Everything is insured anyway. I will say that even though it's not a bother to get into it, I never do it. My "good" wedding set lives there, and I think I've only worn it twice this year. I wish we'd gone with a model above floor level. Bending down is no fun. That would be my only advice.

 

[ice empress]

I use a safe. To be honest, there's far more paperwork in the safe than jewelry, but it's mostly a fireproof issue. Everything is insured anyway. I will say that even though it's not a bother to get into it, I never do it. My "good" wedding set lives there, and I think I've only worn it twice this year. I wish we'd gone with a model above floor level. Bending down is no fun. That would be my only advice.

Thanks for the advice!

I’d been thinking of getting a safe for paperwork/passport, etc for a long time. This is the incentive to finally just get it done

What do you mean by above floor model? Wouldnt that mean that it couldn’t be bolted, or that it wouldn’t be hefty/heavy?

 

[lyra]

I would rather have a wall safe instead of one in the floor. I don't know about the logistics. Like I said, we use ours more for paperwork than anything else.

 

[Karl_K]

tl-15 safe with a dial from a real safe shop locally.
You can save a ton of money buying used.
more here:
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/lets-talk-jewelry-safes.238473/
and more here:
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/safe-recommendations.210317/

 

[Karl_K]

Also keep in mind that a safe is the last line of defense, not the first and even the best safe is to give the cops time to respond to your alarm.

 

[missy]

Also keep in mind that a safe is the last line of defense, not the first and even the best safe is to give the cops time to respond to your alarm.

True! Anything that slows the criminal down is another good line of defense. The more line of defenses the better the chance your valuables will remain safe. Slow them down and giveth police time to arrive or give the criminals time to change their mind because it is taking too long and they are getting nervous and it is not the easy job they hoped it would be...

 

[House Cat]

Wait...if you have a 600 to 850 pound safe, it should be secured to the foundation?

 

[Karl_K]

Wait...if you have a 600 to 850 pound safe, it should be secured to the foundation?

Yes, because if it can be moved in it can be moved out and not caring about damage makes it easier.
When specifically targeting a safe, its not uncommon to take the whole safe.
A truck or cart mounted winch will drag it up the stairs(if needed) and out the door in little time.

 

[House Cat]

Yes, because if it can be moved in it can be moved out and not caring about damage makes it easier.
When specifically targeting a safe, its not uncommon to take the whole safe.
A truck or cart mounted winch will drag it up the stairs(if needed) and out the door in little time.

Ok..we’re talking about using a winch. This will pull the safe through walls, doorways, etc?

Edit to add: wouldn’t my neighbors notice?

 

[Karl_K]

Ok..we’re talking about using a winch. This will pull the safe through walls, doorways, etc?

Edit to add: wouldn’t my neighbors notice?

Yes, it has been done. In fact a winch is often used to move them down stairs on a cart when delivering them.
A group was doing it to businesses here and they were in and out with the safe in 5min or they left it.
They got a few and were stumped by a few before they were caught.

They may notice yes, maybe not. Depends on if anyone is home, how close they are etc.
Would your neighbor call the cops about a truck with a plumbers name and number on it at your house even with hearing noises?

 

[elliefire99]

I can't speak to any specific safe specs, but I CAN speak to the utility of one.

Our house burned about a year and a half ago, and all the documents were safe and pristine (if smokey) in the fire safe, but all thr jewelry in the jewelry boxes was damaged beyond repair.

Worth noting that just because a safe is "fire safe" doesn't mean it won't heat up. Anything plastic inside can melt and damage other items (think jewelry boxes, plastic baggies, etc.)

Incidentally, most of the jewelry damage was from the synthetic fabric lining of the drawers that melted to the pieces. Same thing with the little synthetic protectors and padding around our fine china. I don't wish fire on anybody, but something to keep in mind.

 

[Karl_K]

The first level of fire resistance for a safe is that it keeps it under the flash temperature of paper(350 degrees) at a temperature specified for the time rated.
Many plastics will melt but not burn at a lower temperature than that.
Wool Felt is a much better idea than plastic in a safe.

Many composite tl-15 safes actually meet a higher level that will keep it at a lower temperature.

edit: Craft felt is synthetic and will melt easily.

 

[Karl_K]

UL Fire Ratings

With fireproof safes and files, a UL listing specifies the standard of protection the fireproof container provides its contents when exposed to fire. The file or safe is subject to various test conditions that will ultimately expose all six sides to fire. This is accomplished by putting the file cabinet or safe in a furnace that heats all exposed surfaces to the temperature conditions specified in the test standard.

Underwriters Laboratories uses three different listings to evaluate records protection equipment:

1. Class 350-rated files and safes protect paper products

2. Class 150-rated files and media safes protect magnetic tapes and photographic film

3. Class 125-rated files and data safes protect flexible computer disks





UL Class 350 1-hour


The UL Class 350 1-hour fire rating means that when exposed to external temperatures of over 1700°, the internal temperature of the safe will not exceed 350° for at least one hour - a product with this class of listing is designed to protect paper records



UL Class 350 2-hour


The UL Class 350 2-hour fire rating means that when exposed to external temperatures of over 1700°, the internal temperature of the safe will not exceed 350° for at least 2 hours – also designed to protect paper records, but at a higher level of protection than the class one hour product



UL Class 125 1-hour


The UL Class 125 1-hour fire rating means that when exposed to external temperatures of over 1700°, the internal temperature of the safe will not exceed 125° for at least one hour – 125° is the temperature at which digital media is ruined, so product with this class of listing is designed to protect records stored digitally such as backup tapes, data cartridges, CD's, diskettes, and microfiche. Additionally, the UL Class 125 rating also does not allow humidity levels above 80%. (humidity levels greater than 80% can damage digital media) and provides protection against weak magnetic fields.



UL Class 125 2-hour


The UL Class 125 2-hour fire rating means that when exposed to external temperatures of over 1700°, the internal temperature of the safe will not exceed 125° for at least two hours – 125° is the temperature at which digital media is ruined, so product with this class of listing is designed to protect records stored digitally such as backup tapes, data cartridges, CD's, diskettes, and microfiche



UL Class 125 3-hour


The UL Class 125 3-hour fire rating means that when exposed to external temperatures up to 1925°, the internal temperature of the safe will not exceed 125° for at least three hours – this class product is the ultimate in vital records protection designed to protect records stored digitally such as backup tapes, data cartridges, CD's, diskettes, and microfiche

 

[sledge]

With enough time & determination, any safe can be cracked. Most the stuff you buy & bolt to the floor is rather easy work for an experienced thief. See video below.

Therefore, the first line of defense is finding a location that is not visible. People can't steal what they can't see. Depending on the level and type of goods you want to secure, and your own paranoia you could go with a traditional sized safe or create a safe/panic room of sorts.

 

[Karl_K]

With enough time & determination, any safe can be cracked. Most the stuff you buy & bolt to the floor is rather easy work for an experienced thief. See video below.

Therefore, the first line of defense is finding a location that is not visible. People can't steal what they can't see. Depending on the level and type of goods you want to secure, and your own paranoia you could go with a traditional sized safe or create a safe/panic room of sorts.

Youtube making stuff like this common information is why i started recommending a tl-15 safe.

 

[ice empress]

I can't speak to any specific safe specs, but I CAN speak to the utility of one.

Our house burned about a year and a half ago, and all the documents were safe and pristine (if smokey) in the fire safe, but all thr jewelry in the jewelry boxes was damaged beyond repair.

Worth noting that just because a safe is "fire safe" doesn't mean it won't heat up. Anything plastic inside can melt and damage other items (think jewelry boxes, plastic baggies, etc.)

Incidentally, most of the jewelry damage was from the synthetic fabric lining of the drawers that melted to the pieces. Same thing with the little synthetic protectors and padding around our fine china. I don't wish fire on anybody, but something to keep in mind.

So sorry to hear that such a terrible thing happened to you... thanks for sharing your experience and gained insight.

 

[ice empress]

With enough time & determination, any safe can be cracked. Most the stuff you buy & bolt to the floor is rather easy work for an experienced thief. See video below.

Therefore, the first line of defense is finding a location that is not visible. People can't steal what they can't see. Depending on the level and type of goods you want to secure, and your own paranoia you could go with a traditional sized safe or create a safe/panic room of sorts.

Wow! That's nuts! It almost makes getting a safe seem senseless!

Perhaps the best safety measure is to adopt 3 Rottweilers!

 

[ice empress]

Youtube making stuff like this common information is why i started recommending a tl-15 safe.

Thanks so much for the recommendation and for the links to previous threads!

Forgive my ignorance, but what are the particulars that make a TL-15 safe particularly advisable?

 

[Karl_K]

Thanks so much for the recommendation!

Forgive my ignorance, but what are the particulars that make a TL-15 safe particularly advisable?

tl-15 means that experts with power tools need at least 15 minutes to break into it.
It is the highest rating that can be put in most homes in some way with out extensive modifications to the building.
tl-30 of a reasonable size is too heavy for get into almost all homes.
tl-15 is also used in many businesses so used ones are often available.
Even some bank branches have used tl-15 safes, but newer ones will have a tl-30 or greater as the standards have been raised.

 

[sledge]

If you ever have the luxury of custom building a home and can work in a secret/hidden room, you could kill two birds with one stone by using FEMA designs & plans to create a room designed to withstand tornadoes and hurricanes, and would be quite the safe room to boot (I'd use the cinder blocks or cast-in-place (CIP) options personally).

Plans Only:
https://www.fema.gov/media-library-...709/FEMA_P-320_2014-ConstructionPlans_508.pdf

Entire Manual:
https://www.fema.gov/media-library-...7ee15436712a3e82ce709/FEMA_P-320_2014_508.pdf

 

[Karl_K]

If you ever have the luxury of custom building a home and can work in a secret/hidden room, you could kill two birds with one stone by using FEMA designs & plans to create a room designed to withstand tornadoes and hurricanes, and would be quite the safe room to boot (I'd use the cinder blocks or cast-in-place (CIP) options personally).

Plans Only:
https://www.fema.gov/media-library-...709/FEMA_P-320_2014-ConstructionPlans_508.pdf

Entire Manual:
https://www.fema.gov/media-library-...7ee15436712a3e82ce709/FEMA_P-320_2014_508.pdf

Putting a tl-30 safe in a tornado shelter room is a very good idea.
Using a tornado shelter as a safe not so much.
You need to be able to get into your shelter quickly and spinning a dial with a tornado blowing down on you is not that easy.
What if you had company and they were the only ones home? Going to give them the combo?
Also you want your safe air tight .. which is not a very good idea for a shelter.

Not to get off topic but cip in the only way to go in my opinion.

 

[ice empress]

tl-15 means that experts with power tools need at least 15 minutes to break into it.
It is the highest rating that can be put in most homes in some way with out extensive modifications to the building.
tl-30 of a reasonable size is too heavy for get into almost all homes.
tl-15 is also used in many businesses so used ones are often available.
Even some bank branches have used tl-15 safes, but newer ones will have a tl-30 or greater as the standards have been raised.

Thanks for the education! I’m learning so much!!