5. Forgetting Power Access Inside the Safe

Lighting and dehumidifiers require power. Yet many buyers skip adding a power outlet kit, only to regret it later when the interior is too dark or when they need to plug in accessories. Power kits are affordable—often around $40—and in many cases, installation is included when you buy your safe.

4. Not Bolting the Safe Down

A 600+ pound safe can still be tipped, moved, or stolen if it’s not secured. Some buyers initially skip bolting because they think it isn’t necessary, only to call later asking for a technician to come back (usually with an extra service fee). It’s easier and cheaper to decide on anchoring when your safe is first delivered and installed.

3. Failing to Measure Properly

Measuring just the spot where the safe will sit isn’t enough. You also need to measure doorways, hallways, and turns along the delivery path. Safes are deeper than their catalog dimensions once you include handles and keypads—typically adding about 3.5 inches. For example, a 27.5″ deep safe becomes over 60″ long diagonally when tilted for a turn. Use cardboard cutouts of safe dimensions to test fit through tight spaces before purchase.

2. Overlooking Lock Options

Mechanical dials and electronic keypads both have pros and cons. Many customers who start with a mechanical lock later switch to an electronic keypad for convenience. Today’s keypad locks are far more reliable than older models, and most carry a five-year manufacturer warranty—some even offer lifetime upgrades. The best advice is to visit a showroom and try both lock types before deciding.

1. Buying Too Small

The most common mistake: underestimating storage needs. Most safe buyers outgrow their safe in 2–5 years. It’s not just about firearms—safes also end up storing ammo, optics, family photos, documents, passports, tax records, keepsakes, and even emergency cash. A safe advertised to hold 20 guns may only hold 10–12 comfortably once optics and accessories are factored in. Choosing a larger safe up front helps you avoid an expensive second purchase later.

Final Thoughts

A gun safe is more than storage—it’s peace of mind for firearms, valuables, and important family documents. Avoid these five mistakes and you’ll save yourself headaches (and money) down the line.

Ready to explore options? Visit our Safe Showrooms in DFW and Austin or shop our online collection of Liberty Safes. Our experts will help you measure, choose the right lock, and even anchor your safe securely for long-term protection.

Fast Specs (At a Glance)

• Exterior (box) dimensions: 60.5″ H × 36″ W × 22″ D (plan ~3.5″ extra for handle/keypad clearance)
• Weight: ~660 lb
• Body: 12-gauge steel, two-piece continuous-weld construction
• Door: Double-layer 12-gauge steel with hardened steel behind the lock area
• Locking mechanism: Liberty’s solid steel locking bars (¼” thick, ~4″ tall) on all four sides
• Relocker: External relocker (“mousetrap” style) to deadlock the handle under attack
• Fire rating: 75 minutes @ 1200°F; designed to keep interior ≤ 350°F
• Door seal: Palusol® intumescent seal (expands ~7× in a fire)
• Interior: New ProFlex modular, cantilevered shelves & racks (30-gun rating, optics-friendly layouts)
• Power: Interior outlet kit with a 6-ft cord (four plug openings)
• Lock options: SecuRam® BackLit electronic keypad (upgradeable) or mechanical dial

Dimensions & Build Quality

The Colonial 30’s footprint is easy to place in most homes: 60.5″ tall, 36″ wide, and 22″ deep for the steel box itself. Plan for roughly 3.5″ of additional depth to clear the handle and keypad. The body is bent from a single sheet on the sides/top/bottom and then fully welded to the back—reducing weak points and creating a stronger “two-piece” shell. It’s a practical, real-world build designed to shrug off smash-and-grab abuse while remaining manageable to deliver and anchor.

Door Security & Locking

Most attacks target the door, so Liberty stacks the advantages here: two layers of 12-gauge steel in the door, hardened steel protecting the lock area, and an external relocker that trips under heavy impact to deadlock the handle. Instead of round bolts, Liberty’s patented solid steel locking bars (¼” thick and ~4″ tall) engage all four sides of the frame. The broad, flat surface resists prying across multiple points, making forced entry vastly more difficult.

Fire Protection

The Colonial 30 is rated for 75 minutes at 1200°F with an interior temperature threshold of about 350°F during the test period—below typical paper ignition temps. The Palusol® seal around the door expands up to seven times its size in a fire to choke off heat, smoke, and water ingress—helping protect documents, cash, precious metals, and other heat-sensitive items.

ProFlex Interior: Modular Storage That Adapts

ProFlex replaces fixed side-brackets with a smart, cantilevered rail system on the back wall—more like a refrigerator than a traditional safe. Shelves and gun racks can be re-positioned quickly to accommodate AR-platform rifles, optics, shorties, lever guns, and storage for ammo and accessories. While the safe carries a 30-gun rating, real-world capacity will vary with optics and accessories; the big win is how easily you can reconfigure the space as your needs change.

Power, Finish & Lock Options

An interior outlet kit (with a 6-ft cord) supports dehumidifiers and lighting. Popular finishes include upgrades like gloss gray paired with black chrome hardware. Choose the SecuRam® BackLit keypad—upgradeable through Liberty—or opt for a traditional mechanical dial if you prefer analog simplicity.

Who It’s For

• Homeowners and small businesses wanting strong burglary resistance and meaningful fire protection.
• Gun owners with mixed platforms (ARs, lever actions, hunting rifles) and optics that need flexible spacing.
• Buyers who plan to add lighting/dehumidifiers and want clean cable management via the factory outlet.
• Collectors under ultra-high-value thresholds; for $50k+ collections, ask us about heavier-duty options.

Pricing Snapshot

As shown with premium finish and ProFlex interior, the Colonial 30 configuration discussed ran about $3,199, with base builds starting near $2,599. Final pricing varies by finish, interior, and lock choice—reach out for an up-to-date quote and in-stock options.

Why Buy from A-1 Locksmith

• Since 1949 serving DFW & Austin
• 11+ showrooms
• 35+ mobile techs
• What we quote is what you pay—no surprises
• Fastest response times & award-winning service
• 8,000+ positive reviews • A+ BBB
• Professional delivery, installation & anchoring available

Shop, Compare & Get Installed

See current models, finishes, and inventory on our product page: Liberty Colonial Series at A-1 Locksmith. You can also visit one of our Safe Showrooms to get hands-on with the ProFlex interior and plan your delivery and anchoring.

Questions or ready for a quote? Our team is happy to help you choose the right size, finish, and lock—and schedule white-glove delivery and anchoring.

One of the problems is that safes are heavy, and unwieldy, and therefore have some limitations as to where they can be stored. But if you’re smart about placement for the beginning—or invest a little time in making sure it’s in the right location—it will pay off in security, and peace of mind.

While the safe itself plays a critical role in securing your belongings, we’re taking a look at the first line of defense in having a safe that is hopefully not discovered by would-be burglars with these seven areas we’d recommend against storing your safe.

1. The Master Bedroom

It may seem like the bedroom is an ideal spot to keep your safe as it’s often private, and convenient for keeping valuables close by (especially with a gun safe where you may want your guns easily accessible). But this is also why it’s one of the worst places to store your safe, as burglars usually stop in the master bedroom first. They know people commonly store jewelry, cash and important documents there, so placing your safe here is effectively making it easy for intruders to find your most prized possessions.

Better alternative: a lesser-used room, such as the guest bedroom or an inconspicuous closet.

2. Garage

Another convenient location, especially if your safe is heavy, and difficult to move. But your garage is often more susceptible to break-ins than the main living areas of your home. The garage is also open to prying eyes every time the main door is opened, which can potentially make you a target Furthermore, garages are prone to extreme temperature changes, and humidity, which could damage the contents of the safe—bad news if you’re storing documents, electronics or firearms. (Though, humidity can be mitigated with a dehumidifier.)

Better alternative: if you need to store the safe outside, a well-secured utility or storage room with climate stability is more ideal.

3. The Basement

Basements are out of the way. They’re hidden. So they’re a good place for safes, right? Well, they come with their own set of challenges. Basements are prone to flooding, for starters, which can be disastrous for the contents of your safe, even if it’s fireproof or waterproof. Moisture levels are higher in general in basements, which can lead to mold, mildew and rust over time. Safes can also have limited access for larger safes. The absence of basements will have most North Texas homeowners exploring other options anyway.

Better alternative: if you must store the safe in the basement, consider putting it on an elevated platform that can handle the weight and install a dehumidifier to protect against moisture damage.

4. In Plain Sight

As you might pick up on, convenience, and accessibility are a couple of the biggest reasons people store safes in poor locations. But this often means the safes are in plain sight and not really hidden. Common visible places where safes are stored include the living room, study or home office. This can catch the eye of anyone entering your home, including guests, service workers or potential burglars. If the safe is visible, you’re forfeited your first line of defense in securing your valuables.

Better alternative: conceal your safe behind a false wall, inside a piece of furniture or within a closet that’s locked. This maintains the convenience while keeping it out of plain sight.

5. Attics

Like basements, these out-of-the-way spots seem ideal for hiding valuables. But they can be problematic for a few reasons. They’re difficult to access, which is a pain if you need to reach your safe regularly, and this also limits the size, and weight of the safe that can be stored in your attic. They’re also susceptible to temperature fluctuations, which can damage sensitive items over time. Finally, in the event of a fire, attics are one of the most vulnerable areas of the home.

Better alternative: A secure, climate-controlled room on the main level of your home is a better balance between safety, and accessibility. 

6. Under the Bed

Like the master bedroom, this is another common place criminals typically look first when searching for a safe. It’s not only obvious, but easy to access quickly. A safe small enough to fit on the bed is also one that may be light and/or not bolted down, so it could become a convenient grab and run for a burglar.

Better alternative: a safe bolted to the floor or hidden within a secure piece of furniture.

7. The Closet

Closets are common places where people store safes, but criminals also know this. The master bedroom closet, in particular, is one of the first places a burglar will look. These are especially vulnerable if they don’t have locks, they’re left unlocked or if a thief is persistent. 

Better alternative: a hidden compartment in a wall or floor that can be concealed, and secured.

These places aren’t ideal, but there are plenty of good options for you to consider instead. As long as it’s unexpected, secure, and discreet, you will hopefully avoid making your safe, and easy target. The convenience of some of these options cannot be denied; this is where choosing a secure safe is as critical a decision as to where you store your safe.

If you’d like more personalized advice or would like to shop different safe models, contact A-1 Locksmith or stop by one of our North Texas locations today.

What’s in a Label

When reading up on safe’s in anticipation of your purchase you may find a host of classifications, ratings, and other seemingly official information that supposedly provides insight into a safe’s ability to take the heat and keep on ticking.  While there are a variety of different certifications, and classifications on the market, the most trusted would be an UL rating.  The UL rating, short for Underwriter’s Laboratory which is the organization that provides the analysis, comes in four, two and one hour varieties, plus two more for insulated records containers.  These correspond to the length of time that the safe could be exposed to fire without putting the internal contents at risk.

Just how Does UL Come up with the Rating

It may be fine, and dandy that the UL rating claims to protect your treasures from damage, but transparency as to how that rating is determined is paramount to your faith in the product.  For the UL rating, the independent lab conducts a thorough real-world analysis of the safe.  The safe, along with paper document contents, and a digital thermometer designed to record temperature, are placed in a furnace.  After everything is prepped, and ready, it’s time to turn up the heat.

The heat within the furnace is slowly increased with thermometer locked securely away on the inside with the sample documents.  Once the specified time under fire is reached, the flame is turned off and the safe is allowed to cool.  The lab retrieves all the data inside for analysis.  Per UL, the safe is deemed to have passed the test if the records are still usable, and the interior shows no signs of undue heat transmission.  Oh, yeah…the safe is also tested for ability to withstand explosions, and impact when heated.

So, yes, if you buy a safe with a UL rating then you can trust you’re getting what you’re paying for.

Other Independent Ratings

It’s important to note that UL ratings are the gold standard in the safe, and fire protection industry.  Some manufacturers apply their own internal ratings or use lesser or unknown companies to perform analysis.  This is problematic since it’s impossible to compare standards across companies, and little to no data exists to ensure you can rely on the claims.

At A-1 Locksmith we only sell safes that have been tested, and labelled with UL certifications.  When it comes to protecting your valuable documents, and prized possessions we believe there should be no room for doubt as to whether your fire proof safe will perform under pressure.  If you’re in the market for a safe call A-1 today for a free consultation where one of our security experts will walk you through the many available options in order to ensure you understand both the product and the process behind your new investment in a fireproof safe.

What the Heck is a Safe Dehumidifier Anyways?

If you’re new to the world of safes you may not have heard of the marvelous contraption known as a safe dehumidifier.  It’s not exactly a complicated concept, either.  A safe dehumidifier reduces, and removes moisture from the air inside your safe.  When it comes to valuable items, moisture is the enemy.  Metal guns, jewelry, and important paper documents are all highly susceptible to moisture.  From rust to mold to decay, if your keepsakes are exposed to moisture over an extended period of time they are just as at risk as if you gave a burglar your key.

Why Would I need a Safe Dehumidifier?

You may be thinking moisture isn’t an issue for your particular safe.  Maybe you keep your lock box safely indoors in the basement, or tucked away in the garage.  Surely moisture can’t penetrate there, right?  Wrong!  Moisture can enter a safe every time it’s opened in order to access the contents.  In humid areas, this moisture can build up quickly in the internal, circulation free environment.  Even in dry environments, if you own a fireproof safe the lining often traps moisture which can eventually penetrate the inside lining creating conditions that are harmful for your prized possessions.

Types of Safe Dehumidifiers

So now that we’ve got you scared straight on the need for a safe dehumidifier, you probably are wondering what installation entails.  Well that depends on the method you’ve chosen to properly eliminate moisture from your safe.  Safe dehumidifiers range from low-tech bags similar to those abundant in packaging do-not-eat packs to battery charged to electric models.  Which you choose will depend on both your safe configuration and your dedication to regular maintenance.

Bags filled with moisture wicking material, known as desiccant bags, are inexpensive, and can be placed in nearly every model of safe.  The downside to this option is that they need to be replaced, sometimes frequently depending on your level of moisture, and you’ll need to adhere to a set schedule of swapping to avoid damage to your valuables.

More effective are the mechanical safe dehumidifier units.  Battery charged models rely on a combination of moisture wicking silica gel or beads, and a small air circulation system that filters moisture away.  This type of machine can be used regardless of whether your safe is wired for electricity but is not adjustable for level of moisture, and needs to be monitored occasionally, and recharged, and the internal materials replaced once they’ve reached capacity.  The more reliable mechanical dehumidifiers are electric models which are adjustable, and warm the air to the appropriate temperature to avoid moisture build up.

Whichever option, if you have valuable worth protecting you should own a safe dehumidifier.  If you’re still not sure which solution is best for you, call A-1 Locksmith for an evaluation of your system.  The experts at A-1 can make a personalized recommendation and have many solutions on hand with professionals able to assist with proper installation.  Whatever the safe design, A-1 is sure to have a safe dehumidifier that works for you.

But even with a home security system in place, many professionals still recommend that homeowners install a home safe, as well, to shield the most valuable of items that deserve extra defense. One question remains: is this an excessive amount of defense bred from unnecessary worry, or should homeowners truly consider the benefits of this doubled protection?

Why It’s Smart to Install a Home Safe, and a Home Security System Together

Some may see the input of both of these systems as nonessential, a pointless overlap in home security. In reality, however, the installation of a home safe together with a security system is a relatively cost-effective way to protect your valuables, items that you could not bear to lose.

To be sure, home security systems provide a solid defense, and needed layer of protection. With a home security system, you can feel comfortable in your home, and safe from intruders, and anyone or anything else outside your front door. That being said, a scenario may arise wherein the security system is temporarily compromised, or you may even invite visitors into your home in whom you cannot completely place your trust. Here, if your valuables, such as family heirlooms, jewelry, or other high-worth items, have been placed in a safe beforehand, you can possess additional peace of mind knowing that your most prized assets are still out of reach.

Ask for Help from a Professional

If you are considering the installation of a home security system or a home safe, reach out to the professionals at A-1 Locksmith today. Our Dallas-Fort Worth locksmith professionals have decades of experience serving clients in the area, and we are happy to assist you immediately.

Weighing Costs

Whether you purchase a home safe or a safe deposit box, you’ll have to spend some money. The cost of a safe deposit box will vary depending upon the institution, as well as the size of the box, but usually ranges from about $30 to $75 a year. The cost of a safe, on the other hand, is a larger one-time upfront cost. The amount of money that a safe will cost depends on the quality, and size, ranging anywhere from $100 to above $5,000. While the latter cost may seem excessive, it may actually be cheaper over time if you plan on keeping your safe deposit box at a bank for years to come.

Ability to Access Valuables

Another thing to consider when weighing the pros, and cons of a home safe vs. safe deposit box is your ability to access your valuables. Some things you will certainly want to be able to access at all times without the hassle of having to travel to a bank. For example, original Social Security cards, birth certificates, passports, cash, spare keys, and jewelry may require quick access. If these are some of the valuables you plan to store, a home safe deposit box is more ideal.

Insurance on Valuables

Many people believe that if they put things in a safe deposit box, it will be insured through the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). However, this is not true; the FDIC only covers deposit accounts, which means your safe deposit box is not insured.

On the other hand, the things in your home safe are insured assuming that you have homeowner’s insurance. You should speak with your homeowner’s insurance company about the possibility of seeking additional insurance on certain valuables.

Contact a Home Safe Professional Today

If you have questions about home safes, the professionals at A-1 Locksmith have answers. View our comprehensive collection of home safes for sale today, or call us now for more information about storing valuables at home.