Your safe is the last line of defense between your valuables and a thief. A safe buys you extra time, time to protect your valuables from a thief who has invaded your home or business. Thieves are in a hurry; they are in and out quickly, wanting to get the job done before they get caught. Most home burglaries last just 10 minutes or less.

It is a mistake to think your alarm or surveillance systems are all the protection you need. Experienced burglars are bold enough to do their job even
with an alarm blaring. Unfortunately, it can take police a long time to respond. And neighbors are so used to hearing alarms they rarely stop to even consider if this may be a real emergency. Even if they do see what is happening, they are unlikely to put themselves at risk.

Today, it makes good sense to put your most valued items in a proper safe and leave your home or business with the confidence that these items are well protected.

Increased peace of mind comes with the right safe. A false sense of security comes with the wrong safe. There are good reasons some safes cost $100 – $300 and other safes cost $600 – $1,000+. You will get the protection you pay for, and no more. We hope your safe is never put to the test. But if it is, the decision you are making now is very important.

Make a list of the items you want to place in the safe to help determine the size safe you’ll need and the content value. Some of the most common secured items are:

• Cash
• Precious Metals (gold & silver)
• Collections (coin and stamp)
• Firearms & ammunition
• Jewelry
• Photography equipment
• Estate valuables, heirlooms
• Documents (trusts, wills, tax docs)

There are only two ways to KNOW the protection level of a safe.

1. Work with a safe dealer you know to be knowledgeable, trustworthy and honorable (how long have they been in business under their current name).
2. Safe has been tested and certified by a respected laboratory like UL or Intertek for fire or burglary resistance. Beware comparisons like,
   “It’s equivalent to … “, or “It’s just as good as …”.

We use the following benchmarks from UL and Jewelers Insurance Underwriters as a guideline for customers considering safes with both burglar and fire resistance. Some of our coin dealer / collector customers have received $1 Million coverage as a result of having our TL30 MaxVault safe. A retail jeweler (the highest risk target) could get insurance coverage for $100,000 of inventory in a "C" rated safe; $250,000 in a TL15 rated safe; $350,000 in a TL30 rated safe, and $1 Million in a TRTL30x6 rated safe. A check cashing business can get insurance for $20,000 with a "B" rated safe with UL’s Residential Security Container (RSC) label.

If burglary is a concern the UL Residential Security Container (RSC) label is the minimum requirement for your home use. Safes earn this label if a UL professional safe cracker using a hammer and 18" screwdriver is unable to open the door of the safe in less than 5 minutes! It is logical to assume that a freestanding safe that does not have the RSC label could be opened in less than 5 minutes with a screwdriver and hammer. How safe is that?

If insurance is an issue, get your insurance company to tell you your required and recommended safe ratings before you start. This will save time and help determine costs.

Ask questions . . . don’t be confused by "safe" terminology . . . if the dealer can’t clearly explain why a particular safe is appropriate for your needs, don’t buy from that dealer . . . . If a dealer answers all your questions to your satisfaction, and you want to have after
sale support when you need it, let the dealer make a fair profit on the sale so he can stay in business . . . win / win works every time!

Maximum Security has been in business since 1982 and owned by Shep and Nancy Bryan since 1994. We value quality support and service and strive to provide that to every customer, and potential customer. An important part of this is consulting with you to be sure you make a fully informed
selection. Because we buy in volume we can pass on low prices to you and have most safes in stock ready for pick up or delivery within about a week. We have own on expert delivery and install team who handle deliveries, installations and safe moves in our local areaand partners across the country who handle out of area jobs for us. With thousands of very satisfied customers, over 50% of our business is repeat or referral.

Please give us the opportunity to earn your business. At the very least you will make a better and more informed decision after spending some time with Maximum Security.

Once you’ve decided to buy a safe, it pays to get fire protection. Fire can be more devastating than theft leaving behind only blackened outlines of valuables. Buying a fire lined safe buys you time, especially as you wait for your local fire department to show up. Fire resistant does not mean fire proof, there is no such thing as a fire proof safe, but fire resistance can make the difference that counts!

There are different levels of fire ratings, ranging from the basic package of 1200 degrees for 20 minutes to of 1700 degrees for 2 hours. More expensive concrete fire safes can provide up to a 2-hour rating and weigh more than twice as much as the normal home/office safe.

The sensitivity of your items dictates the type of fire protection you should purchase. Most items and documents will be protected in a normal house fire (1200 degrees) when the safe is located on the main floor. Because heat rises, a higher fire rated safe is recommended for upstairs. Items such as computer discs and photographs are even more sensitive to heat than paper. These items should be kept within a specially designed media storage box that is in turn placed into a basic fire safe to increase the fire protection level.

Underwriter’s Laboratories and internationally recognized Intertek-ETL certify levels of fire protection. Fire certification by a reputable entity takes the guesswork out of non-verified claims made by manufacturers or salespeople. Independent certification is a good way to
confirm accurate times and temperatures as published by the manufacturer.

See our Fire Ratings page for more info.

There are special containers called fire resistant file cabinets that are ideal if you are concerned about securing documents only from fire. These UL rated containers can be built with a variety of locking devices to help deter theft. They come in vertical as well as lateral configurations.

Some can be equipped with either a safe inside one of the drawers, or a specially designed drawer resistant to humidity making it ideal for storage of electronic media.

Another benefit of a safe is its ability to preserve and extend the life of collectibles that are sensitive to light and humidity. When the love of a hobby turns into a collector’s business with values reaching into the thousands of dollars, a safe can help protect the value and original look. Stamps, coins, cards, statues, art, photos and many other collectibles located inside the safe are protected from damaging ultraviolet light.

A controlled atmosphere to reduce humidity is also achieved when the safe is installed with an optional dehumidifier. Electric dehumidifier rods help reduce moisture inside the safe by raising the ambient temperature 2-3 degrees from the heat it generates. Installed through the back of the safe, the dehumidifier is warm to the touch and virtually eliminates any rust and mildew buildup on valuables. The standard 12-inch dehumidifier works for most 60″ tall safes, but longer dehumidifiers may be required in larger models to reduce condensation.

NO! In a hot fire, a fire safe creates a humidity level high enough to destroy data on computer media. Computer media must be protected from
both heat and humidity.

There are two ways to protect computer media.

1). Place an appropriate smaller container inside a larger fire resistant safe.

2). Purchase a media safe – essentially a safe within a safe. The outer safe protects from heat, the inner one protects from humidity.

The short answer is YES! Any time you can bolt down, do bolt down. Regardless of the weight of your safe, it is more secure if it is bolted down to something solid like a concrete foundation. This is particularly critical when the weight of your safe is below 450 lbs.

There are however caveats to bolt down. For more information see our Bolt Down Guidelines pdf.

Most safes with a traditional, dial combination lock come with a preset number combination from the factory. If you wish to change the combination we recommend you contact a local locksmith. Electronic locks (digital keypad) are user friendly and the combination is easy to change whenever you desire. Please follow manufacturer instructions carefully.

Please see our page on Mechanical vs. Electronic Locks for more information.

The internal mechanism of a good quality safe door is permanently lubricated, thus it needs no maintenance. Occasionally, it may be necessary to lubricate the door bolts. To do so, extend the bolts completely with the door open. Wipe a small amount of oil on each bolt. We recommend cleaning your safe with a soft cloth and ammonia free window cleaner. Avoid using paper towels. If you are at all in doubt contact a certified local lock and safe technician to provide the service you need.

We recommend the use of a dehumidifier for long-term storage in areas of high humidity and frequent temperature fluctuations. In any setting
safe should not remain shut for extended periods of time. Open the door and let the air circulate periodically, at least once a month.

Dehumidifiers always work best placed as low in the safe as possible. Mounting position is not necessarily important, but it is vital to keep the door area clear of any obstruction. Installation along the back wall or underneath one of the small side shelves is the preferred method.