In The Market For A Safe in Atlanta? 5 Things You Need To Know

If you have valuables or other sensitive information in your business or your home, it's important to protect them.  If you have decided to buy a safe to do so, you made a wise decision.  To make sure that you buy smart and have all of the information you need, some of the leg work has been done for you:  read on to learn the five things you need to know before you finalize your safe purchase.

1. Know what size safe you need; here's how to calculate.

To calculate the number of cubic feet you'll need (the inner area of the safe), multiply the depth, width and height of the safe you're considering and divide that total number by 1728.  This is the basic math formula to calculate cubic feet.

It's also important to ensure that your safe will adequately accommodate your valuables, plus a little more.  Choose one size larger than your estimate of what you'll need.  This way, your safe should be good for at least five, and maybe up to ten years down the line.

2. Consider purchasing a burglar fire (or BF) safe, which does as its name says: protects from burglary and fire. If you do consider a BF safe, be sure not to purchase one that is rated too low based on the value of your contents.  Check with your authorized Medeco security center in Atlanta for specific advice regarding the best safe for your valuables; be sure that you consider the manufacturer standards as well as the UL (Underwriters Laboratory) burglar ratings when shopping for a BF safe.

3. Do not purchase a floor safe to protect your valuables from a fire; you will be greatly disappointed.  Since the door of a floor safe is exposed, does not contain fire retardant material, and is made of metal only, fire could penetrate the door quickly.  When evaluating the fire protection, remember that fireproof safes and BF safes should have a minimum 1-hour fire rating.

4. Do not store digital data or family photographs in your fireproof safe.  Because fireproof safes are only fire-RESISTANT, you would be running the risk of a fire ruining your items.  If there is no fire, there would also be a chance of the heat and humidity damaging your data or photos, as your safe is not designed to protect against those extreme conditions.

5. ALWAYS anchor your safe!  Law enforcement officials will tell you: MANY safes are moved from their original location still locked so that burglars have time to break into them.  Your Medeco security center in Atlanta can recommend the anchor that would be best for your safe. 

You can never be too careful---remember these tips when shopping and you will find the best safe to protect your valuables.