AAA Boise Lock and Key: Things You Should Know Before Buying A Safe

Over 2 million domestic burglaries take place every year in the United States. You do not have to lose your valuables when a burglar enters your home.

When you have valuables in your possession, you should have a safe place for them. You have worked hard to save up money and then buy these precious things. Your item could be a pistol, a string of pearls, or a family heirloom. 

Whatever your precious items may be, you need to protect them. A quality safe will do the job if you find the right one. 

But how do you know which safe to pick? Which will protect your items from thieves and fire? And how big of a safe do you get? 

A place like AAA Boise will have a variety of safes so you can pick the one that works best for you. Keep reading to learn about the qualities of different safes so you know what you need. 

Safe Rating

The rating of the safe depends on the valuables in the safe. Safe companies make different qualities of safes. The better the quality, the more expensive the safe. 

When buying a safe, pick a safe that is rated for the value of the safe's contents. Your insurance company can help you with this as well. They generally have limitations on what they will cover based on the type of safe you've chosen.

There's a big difference between a safe for a pistol and a safe for valuable family jewels. Here is a basic content value guide for which safe to get based on what you're putting in the safe. 

• B-Rated Safe: for valuables of $5,000 or less
• B/C Rated Safe: for valuables of $10,000 or less
• U.L. RSC: for valuables up to $15,000 or less
• C Rated Safe: for valuables up to $30,000
• U.L. TL-15: for valuables up to $200,000 or less
• U.L. TL-30: for valuables up to $375,000 or less
• U.L. TL-30X6: for valuables of $500,000 to $1,000,000
• U.L. TRTL-30X6: for valuables of $1,000,000 or less 

Have your valuables appraised so you know what they're worth. Then pick the most affordable safe that will protect your valuables. 

Safe Size

Most customers have one complaint after they buy their safe. They did not buy a big enough safe. If you're contemplating between two different safes, pick the bigger safe. 

If you pick a safe that just fits the valuables you have, then you will eventually need a bigger safe for more of your valuables. Give yourself some margin. 

Gun Safe Quality

When you're looking for a gun safe, consider the thickness of the metal, the overall construction, and the type of locking mechanism. Then look at the fire rating for the safe. 

Past gun cabinets were decorative pieces made of wood and glass. They would showcase weapons like pieces of art. 

Today's gun cases need safes that protect the item in the safe as well as the individuals outside the safe. Gun safes do keep gun owners and their home occupants safe. 

Do not give in to the temptation to buy a cheap, thin metal cabinet. Look for a gun cabinet made of a minimum of 12-gauge steel and preferably a 7 to 10-gauge steel. 

You also want a safe with a 1/4" or more solid plate steel or similar composite equivalent in the door. 

Hidden Safe or Wall Safe

If you have small items to store, a hidden safe or wall safe is an ideal choice. Wall safes sit concealed in the wall, covered by a piece of art or something like that. But these safes are more susceptible to burglar and fire damage. 

Wall safes consist of thin gauge metal typically. Do not use them to store a large amount of jewelry, gold, or cash.

Would-be thieves do not have to crack a wall safe. They just need to get the safe out of the wall. A determined burglar only saw the safe out of the wall and took it with them. 

Fire Ratings

Make fire ratings one of your top considerations when you look for a safe. When purchasing a gun safe, purchase a safe with a minimum of a 1-hour fire rating. If your safe has less than an hour fire rating, it will not protect the materials in the safe adequately. 

The fire rating especially matters if you have ammunition in your safe. When fire hits ammunition, the ammunition will explode and cause an even bigger problem. Buy the safe with the longest fire rating you can afford. 

Burglar Resistant Safes

Fire-resistant safes are not necessarily burglar resistant. A fireproof safe will resist heat and smoke, and sometimes even water, over a given period. Thus they adequately protect paper documents from damage. 

Fireproof safes consist of thin metal, though. Thus, while fire cannot penetrate the metal, a cheap saw can. Your fire-resistant safe may protect your materials from fire, but it will not protect them from a burglar. 

If you want to protect your valuables from a thief, then you need a beefier safe. Look for burglar fire safes, referred to as BF-rated safes. This especially matters when the contents of your safe are worth more than $10,000. 

Safe designers engineer BF safes to protect your valuables from thieves and fire. They will have thicker walls and more complicated locks. A simple fire-resistant safe can open if a thief drops it hard enough on the floor. 

Check Out AAA Boise

You deserve a secure place for your valuables. You scrimped, saved, and worked hard to buy these items. Or perhaps you have valuable family heirlooms that do not have an adequate price tag attached to them. 

In any case, you need to use a safe that will protect your valuables from both thieves and fire. The right safe can do this. 



Do you need a quality safe? If so, check out AAA Boise. Our vast inventory will have something that works for you and your valuables. 

Contact us today and let us help you.