What does the fire rating mean?
Fire rating is displayed as “__ minutes at ___°.” The first blank is a number of minutes, such as 90 minutes or 60 minutes while the second blank is a temperature, such as 1200°. To translate this, if a safe has a 90 minute fire rating at 1200° and was in a fire where the temperature around the safe reached 1200°, the inside temperature of the safe would never reach over 350°. Depending on what you will be storing in the safe, the greater the fire rating needed. The recommended fire rating for guns is 60 minutes at 1200°. If you are storing pictures and documents, you will want a higher fire rating than 60 minutes. For more information, watch the video below where one of our safe experts, Robert Laukaitis, explains what a fire rating means.
How many guns will my safe hold?
The easiest way to find out how many guns will fit in a particular safe is to open the safe and count how many “loops” there are. The amount of guns a safe will fit is also dependent on what type of gun you will be storing. A double-barrel shotgun takes up a lot of room in a safe, so in order to have room for a couple of these, a larger safe is needed. If you want to make sure the safe you are looking at will fit you needs, please come by one of our safe showrooms and our safe experts will be glad to show you many safe options. For more information, watch the video below where one of our safe experts, Robert Laukaitis, explains how gun storage works in a safe.
What does the thickness of the gauge of steel mean?
The gauge of steel relates to the thickness of the steel. The smaller the number, the thicker the steel and the larger the number, the thinner the steel. Our safes usually range between 7 gauge and 14 gauge steel, with 7 gauge being the thickest steel. The gauge is very important for a safe. The thicker the steel, the harder it is for a thief to drill through and the longer it takes for a fire’s heat to penetrate to the interior of the safe. For more information, watch the video below where one of our safe experts explains what the thickness of the gauge of steel means.
What are the different lock options?
There are three different types of locks for your safe. Mechanical, electric, and biometric. The most common safe lock is a mechanical dial ring. There are also electronic locks and direct drive lock (D-Lock). These are powered by a battery (9V). The last lock option is a biometric lock, which will allow you to unlock your safe with your fingerprint or a keypad backup. For more information, watch the video below where one of our safe experts explains what the different lock options are.
What are the features of a biometric lock?
A biometric lock will hold and store a picture or a scan of your fingerprint that enables the user to enter without the use of a keypad or lock combination. These locks provide quicker access and gives better security for your valuables. For more information, watch the video below where one of our safe experts explains the features of a biometric lock.
Why is it important to have a dehumidifier in my safe?
A dehumidifier will help keep the inside of your safe dry, which will help protect your documents, jewelry, guns, and ammunition from the harming effects of moisture. While we recommend that all safes have a dehumidifier, it is especially needed if your safe is being stored outside or in an environment that is not climate controlled. For more information, watch the video below where one of our safe experts explains the benefits of having a dehumidifier in your safe.
What safes will meet my needs?
Choosing a safe can be a difficult decision. You have to factor in your budget, what you want to store, the amount of space you have available in your home and more. Here at A-1 Safes, we understand this and want to help you choose the perfect safe for your needs. On this site, we have a form that will allow you to search for safes that match your needs. Click Here to visit this page. We also have ten safe showrooms around the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Please come by one of our locations and let our safe experts help you choose the perfect safe. In our showrooms you can see, touch, and test out each safe. Click here to find a location near you
