Home Safes, a buyers guide to fireproof safes

by Daniel Snyder on January 5, 2012

best selling home safes, the sentrysafe ds3410

Best selling home safe: The SentrySafe ds3410

It’s 2012 and Home Safes are becoming a staple in North American homes, but before buying a fireproof safe for your home, one must properly consider the type of protection they  need.  These days home safes are viewed as an important addition to ones home security arsenal.  The market for fireproof safes is increasing as families and businesses realize the importance of protecting important documents, memories and data.  Are you now considering the purchase of waterproof and fireproof safes for your house?  Are you looking for a safe that provides security protection as well?  Are you in the market for home safes that will protect your data?  These few questions are important ones to consider before buying a fireproof safe.

Home Safes are showing up in homes around the globe

Fireproof safes are simply not all made alike, in fact a majority of the home safes which are intended for the protection of paper documents (such as passports or your family photographs) are not specifically rated for burglary protection.  A large amount of the lower priced fireproof safes do not bolt down, and can easily be picked up and carried off by burglars.  Gaining some information about fireproof safes and the types of protection that they actually offer would be an important step before actually making the purchase.  SentrySafe offers excellent UL tested and rated home safes at an affordable price point, their safes will protect from both water and fire (varying levels of fire protection), however SentrySafe products are not normally rated high for burglary.  Read more about the ratings, here.

Fireproof Safes come in different sizes and ratings

The is a large and varying plethora of sizes and ratings for home safes, especially when it comes to their ability to resist heat.  Normally the three rating levels handed out by UL include 1/2, 1 hour and 2 hour fire ratings (at varying degrees of heat).  Not all fireproof safes are rated to protect your computer data, including USB sticks, CDs, DVDs, laptops or external hard drives.  Data is at a greater level of risk to moisture, heat, dust and magnetic interference than paper is.  For this reason data would require home safes that are specifically tested and rated for protecting your computer information.  You can take a look at some of our recommendations here by reading this informative article about why your computer data needs special fireproof protection.

Home Safes: Important items to consider before buying a fireproof safe

1. Warranty and guarantee? The best manufactures provide warranties and have special policies for recovery if your safe ever goes through an actual fire.

2. Company reputation?  We advise reading reviews online, the ones posted here are reliable and consumer verified.

3. Customization options for the inside of the safe.  Home safes will often have adjustable shelving.

4. Does this safe meet my requirements?  Fire (what level of protection), water, drop protection, security, media?  Is it properly rated by UL?

The above questions are simple considerations one must take before you buy fireproof safes for your home.  Answering these questions should give you a general idea of what to look for when it comes time to purchase a safe for protecting your important family memories, computer data, and business documents.  Taking the time to research and investing in one more home safes is a wise decision for your families security needs.

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Home Security Features You’ll Want Before Your Next Vacation

by Sylvia on February 9, 2012

home security features you want before your next vacationThere’s nothing worse than returning home from a beautiful, relaxing vacation to find that your home has been broken into. For the majority of people, this is a scenario that is unlikely to happen, especially if you already have a home security system installed.  But if your home is unprotected when you travel, you are leaving yourself vulnerable. Even worse, without an alarm system, it will be impossible to monitor your belongings when you are away from home to ensure that they stay safe from theft, vandalism, a flood, or a fire.

Before you book your next vacation, check out these 5 home security features that you can’t live without when you travel:

Cellular Monitoring

Many people today no longer have a landline at home and choose to use cell phones instead. The good news is that the latest security system technology will install GSM cellular monitoring through a wireless alarm system so that no landline is required. This is a newer feature in technology that will allow a traditional alarm system to work seamlessly with a cell phone or VoIP system; a wireless system is also more difficult for a burglar to disable than a traditional landline security system.

Video Monitoring

Home video monitoring is more popular than ever in home security systems. A wireless home camera can stream live to any smartphone and will provide motion activated updates of activity in or around your home. This can be used when traveling or even when monitoring teenage children who are home alone.

Lighting Control

Many home security systems are equipped with motion activated light sensors to alert an intruder that there is someone at home, even if the house is empty. One of the best features to consider when on vacation is an advanced system that will enable you to control lights in your home or place them on a lighting schedule.

Two Way Audio Monitoring

A system can be equipped with small microphones placed throughout the house that are activated through the central monitoring station. If an alarm is activated, then you or the alarm company can listen to sounds in the home to determine if there is an intruder present.

E-mail/Text Alerts

If you are on vacation with your family, you may not have time to monitor your home via a WebCam or to stay in contact with the alarm company regularly. If you want to relax and enjoy your vacation, you can activate e-mail and text alerts for your alarm system. You will only receive an e-mail or a text if the alarm system is tripped, alerting the alarm company of activity in your home. In the event of a breach of your home security system, you will receive an automatic report via text or e-mail.

There’s no point to a vacation if you can’t completely relax. And worrying about your home and property isn’t going to allow you to relax. Solve that problem with any of these security solutions.

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Which Fire Proof Safes Offer the Best Protection?

by jgarland on February 7, 2012

which fireproof safes offer the best protection

SentrySafe ds3607

During a fire, the only concern you should have is getting everyone out. Documents, data discs and family pictures should be the last thing on your mind. Having a fireproof safe helps you focus on what’s most important first. There are a few different kinds of fireproof safes available on the market. Options vary according to size, storage concerns and what items need to be protected. Some safes offer burglar protection or water resistance while other fireproof safes offer all three forms of protection.

Each safe comes with a fire rating. Documents require protection starting at about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Protection for slides and film starts at 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Computer discs and other data devices need protection at 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Each level of protection carries a higher price tag. Many home safes guarantee these temperatures for 30 minutes. Higher priced models keep these low temperatures for up to an hour, but 30 minutes might be enough. Most home fires move from room to room, with no room remaining hot for more than 20 minutes or so. The fire rating will come with temperature and time information. A safe rated at 350 degree and 30 minutes will protect documents for 30 minutes.

Home safes tend to be small, discreet objects. They are easy to carry in the event of an emergency and very easy to stash out of sight. Size limits the amount of items that fit into the safe, but many come in convenient document sizes. Some are even equipped to hold hanging files. These safes make filing a breeze. Office safes are usually larger. They can fit into walls or be disguised as freestanding cabinets. Some are large enough to be walk-in cabinets or closets. The larger the safe, the more expensive, so consumers need to keep in mind the kind of space they require before buying.

Water resistance is an important option. Firefighters and sprinkler systems will douse a burning room to put out the fire. A safe without water resistance may not withstand basic fire protection. Documents, pictures, and data discs can easily be ruined.

Burglar resistant safes have been tested with lock picking tools, cutting torches and explosives. A safe with a rating of TL-15 can withstand 15 minutes with a burglar who is using common tools. All safes offer some resistance. Most burglars are interested in doing quick smash-and-grab robberies. They break in and take whatever they can carry. A burglar is not going to spend the time to get the average safe open. Even the smaller safes are heavy and awkward to carry, which insures that they will be left behind. A simple lock may be the only thing necessary to stand between a burglar and important objects. For more protection, consumers should look for a safe with an optional bolt-down kit.

Fireproof safes offer safety options for fire protection, burglar resistance and water resistance. Safes often show ratings and other signs of assurance. Consumers have a choice of options and sizes to best suit their needs.

Sentry Safe Electronic FIRE-SAFE - Model DS3607 Sentry Safe Electronic FIRE-SAFE - Model DS3607
Average Rating:
10 total customer reviews...

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What do I need to know about Home Security Monitoring?

January 23, 2012

Those of us that have not yet jumped on the home security bandwagon, may not be aware of the options available when it comes to a Home Security Monitoring system.  On the other hand if you do have a system, you still may not know the extent of options that are available beyond your current [...]

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Guns and Home Security, Staying secure and protected

July 4, 2011

A surefire way of protecting your home and yourself has always been with a gun. Of course things have changed significantly over the years. Still those who live within the USA have the right to bear arms, there are some serious implications attached to that. If you own a gun you’ll have the responsibility of protecting your home yes, your belongings of course, but also you must protect your gun(s). Though self protection is probably what is in your mind, an additional priority is protecting and storing those guns properly.

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Recommended Fireproof House Safes, Top Sellers

April 28, 2011

In a crowded industry it is important to identify what the best selling products are.  The top selling most recommended fireproof house safes can be identified by brand and sales.  By taking a look at Amazon’s best selling fireproof safes we can find out what people are buying, and what safes are getting the highest [...]

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Are biometric safes reliable?

April 22, 2011

It’s now spring 2011, and the consensus when it comes to biometric safes is that they are absolutely reliable. UL is testing, rating and verifying biometric safes for security, and that is no small statement. Our highest rated and most recommended fireproof biometric safe is the Barska. Read this Barska Safe Review and watch the video, the Barska Safe is considered a quick access gun safe though it is commonly used to store valuables, papers, and even laptops.

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Who tests, rates and verifies fireproof safes?

April 17, 2011

WUL tests rates and verifies fireproof safeshen it comes to fireproof safes and a multitude of other products (19,597 types of products in 2009) the company responsible for product testing, safety and rating is UL. UL is a massive global company that operates independent of manufacturers and offers their expertise in five specific and key areas for business, these include: Environment, Life & Health, University and Verification Services and most importantly to fireproof safes, Product Safety.

UL boasts some amazing statistics as a company in 2009 over 20 billion UL logos appeared on products around the world and 66,149 different manufacturers produced products that received UL certification. There are 120 UL inspection centers around the world and 102 countries with UL customers. Perhaps the most impressive of statistics is that 1.5 billion consumers were influenced by UL with safety messages in Asia, Europe and North America (Almost 25% of the global population!).

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Can I keep a hard drive in a fireproof safe?

April 10, 2011

A good question that I’ve been asked on several occasions is “can I keep a hard drive in a fireproof safe”? The reason this is a good question, is because it is not a simple yes or no answer. Since not all fireproof products are made alike, there is significant variations in ratings and design which may or may not mean that it is safe to keep a hard drive in a fireproof safe.

Data is far more sensitive than other items that are commonly stored in fireproof safes. Data is susceptible to heat, moisture, dust, humidity, and magnetic interference. For this reason the only safe solution for fireproofing your data is to get a product that is actually rated for the protection of media and data. There are a lot of options on the market, ranging from fireproof media vaults to external hard drives in themselves which are actually fireproof.

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Why do I need special fireproof storage for computer media?

April 4, 2011

Your computers data, USB keys, external hard drives etc. are all far more susceptible to heat and moisture damage than any paper records would be. Therefore data requires a far more intense degree of protection. I have written several articles describing how FireKing Data Safes and Media Vaults are my recommended product of choice when it comes to protecting your data. It is important to locate a fireproof product for your data that protects against more than heat and moisture, but also provides protection from dust and magnetic interference.

There are a number of options when it comes to fireproof media and data safes. Let’s take a look at a few of the best selling fireproof options for media/data. All the products below are UL tested and rated, and verified to fireproof media.

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