I've been considering getting a safe to store documents and a few valuables, though Dan Martin's thread about your house being on fire prompted this post here.

A couple of questions:
1. What do you have - safe or lock box?
2. What type is it - key or combination lock?
3. Any thoughts on fingerprint readers? Are these actually useful or more of a gimick?
4. What is the fire rating?
5. How big is it?
6. If you have a safe, is it bolted to anything?
7. Do you think you made the right purchase?

Any other information you might have or suggestions is appreciated

 

I'd be curious to see some responses to this as well. We've been thinking of purchasing a fireproof safe as well. We'll probably put it somewhere in the garage, hidden within the cabinets, and bolted to the floor. Other then that we have no idea what to look for as far as features...

 

Regarding the fireproof stuff, just remember that pretty much anything plastic is still probably going to melt in a fireproof safe. As far as I know most of them are still just intended to keep paper documents from burning.

 

I am only responding here because you asked me to... I know nothing about the specifications of our fire safe, only that it opens with a key and holds all our important documents and some photos.

Also, it's very heavy.

 

In my old house, we had a safe installed directly into the concrete basement floor (close to a corner). The only thing visible was a flat piece of metal, level with the floor, that covered the actual door to the safe. All we had to do was cover that spot with something (furniture, lugguage storage, anything...) and no one ever knew it was there. It wasn't installed in a main, gathering room of the basement, so even if it wasn't covered well, no one really had any reason to be in that room for it to catch their eye.

 

in my old house, we had a 300 pound safe bolted downin the basement with a key and combination lock.

 

when the house was remodeled we had a safe put into the wall. we just keep title to cars, coins, shit like that in there. we could probably take it a little more seriously but dont, unless we are going on vacation

 

I'd think fire rating would be "key" so to speak. What if the fire occurs while you're out of town and burns for hours? Has anyone had first-hand experience with this scenario?

 

^ Fire protection of safes is rated in hours. Generally just a couple of hours. As previously stated most are only rated to protect documents. If you want something that is going to protect computer media you need a data rated one. Again they are only rated for a couple of hours.

Keep in mind that a few hours is probably plenty of time. Most houses won't burn that long.

BTW, if you don't have much stuff to protect I think a safe deposit box at a bank > home safe.

 

 

exactly - max time you get is a couple hours - which should be plenty - unless your local fire dept. is an hour away from your house. some come spin dial only and others are keypad and key combo. Will protect paper from burning. DVD's, CDs and photos could easily melt or be damaged.