Blog

If you’ve got precious metal at home, such as gold or silver, if you haven’t already done so, you should be taking steps to keep it well protected. What’s the best way to do this? With a high security safe, bought and installed from a professional company.

So, you’re now ready to purchase a safe to keep your precious metal protected in, but you’re curious about a few things. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about storing precious metal in a safe:

Q: Are safes 100% secure?

A: while every safe has the potential to be cracked, some are easier for burglars to get into than others. Generally speaking, the more you spend on a safe, the more secure it will be, and by purchasing a high security, fire resistant safe for your precious metals, you’re giving the best protection you can afford.

Commercial safes are typically considered to be the most secure, as they’re constructed from heavy-duty steel, filled with high-strength concrete and high-density ceramic to prevent drilling or welding attacks.

Q: Do I need a fire resistant safe?

A: Having a fire resistant safe, can of course keep your precious metals protected for longer in the event of a fire, just make sure you purchase a fire resistant safe from a reputable manufacturer, and that it has a fire rating which has been independently verified.

Q: If I purchase a fire resistant safe, how high should the rating be?

A: The fire rating you choose depends upon the level of risk you believe your safe could be exposed to, and how much you value the contents of the safe to be. A general rule of thumb is: the more expensive the items, the higher the fire rating should be.

Q: What size safe should I buy?

A: Many first time safe buyers chose a smaller safe, either due to budgetary restrictions, or because they don’t have many items to store in it. However, most regret this decision as time goes by and they accumulate more items of value, so before buying a safe, think carefully not just about the items you have now, but what items you may want to store in it in the future.

A safe is a big investment, so it pays to get it right first time around.

Q: Where should I install the safe?

A: There are several things to consider when thinking about where to store your safe, and once you’ve decided upon the best location, make sure you hire a professional safe installer so that they can ensure the following steps are adhered to:

• The safe must be level to ensure that the door can open and close properly
• The safe must have proper airflow underneath it to prevent excess moisture from damaging it
• The safe should be bolted to the floor, or installed inside a wall for optimum protection against an attempt to break into it, or steal it

Q: What additional precautions should I take when storing precious metals?

A: While gold may not be so vulnerable to water damage, silver is, and it should be kept in a dry space in order to maintain its integrity. You can use both a dehumidifier rod and a rechargeable desiccant device to help minimize moisture in your safe.

Storing your precious metals securely in a safe is easy, provided you always buy a high quality safe, and only ever deal with a reputable manufacturer and installer.