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.

You wouldn’t buy a phone without considering storage options. You wouldn’t buy a car without considering features. Most importantly, you wouldn’t go into either of these purchases ignorant to your budget, needs and which of these various costs are worth it to you. Likewise, you shouldn’t go into a safe purchase without understanding your budget and security and storage needs.

Fortunately, just like with phones and cars, you’re armed with options across many budget ranges when it comes to home safes. Your overall satisfaction with your safe will increase if you educate yourself to make an informed decision about which safe best meets your needs. 

In today’s post, we’ll cover a list of needs many have when shopping safes, as well as how much you should budget for a safe when taking into consideration delivery, installation, accessories and other factors.

Assess Your Needs

Before diving into the different price ranges for safes, it’s essential to assess your specific needs. This will guide you in determining what safe is best suited for you and what features you should prioritize (and which you can ignore). Here are some common considerations:

1. Size and capacity: What are you looking to store in the safe? Smaller items like documents and jewelry, or larger items like firearms? The size and capacity of the safe can significantly impact the price, so make sure you’re not getting one that is too big or too small. Safes that only store documents and cash are usually smaller and cost less, while safes for storing firearms and bulky items tend to be larger and more expensive.
2. Security level: Not all safes provide the same level of protection. Basic safes may suffice for less-valuable items, but if you’re storing something with high value (whether monetary or sentimental), you’ll want a safe with advanced security features like biometric locks, multiple bolts and a higher fire/burglary rating.
3. Fire and water resistance: Safes with fire and water resistance provide additional protection for your items when it comes to natural disasters. The level of protection can vary, however, which influences the price. A minimum of 30-minute fire resistance is a good target for basic protection, with higher-rated models available for more demanding needs (or to provide better peace of mind).
4. Type of safe: There are several types of safes to consider as well, which also impact your budget depending on which one you choose. (Where you store the safe may also play a part in this decision.) Wall safes are ideal for placement behind paintings or furniture, floor safes are ideal for heavier items, gun safes are specifically designed for firearm safety and portable safes are smaller, lighter and less expensive.

Find Your Budget Range

Costs are always going to vary depending on the type of safe you choose, the brand and the retailer selling it, but there are some general price ranges to consider when making your decision. Here are the three general categories of safes and their price ranges:

1. Budget-friendly safes ($300 or less): These are viable options for small and less-valuable items. They typically feature basic lock mechanisms and minimal fire and water resistance.
2. Mid-range safes ($300-$1,000): Offering a balance of security and affordability, safes in this tier often come with better locking mechanisms, increased protection and larger capacities. 
3. High-end safes ($1,000 or more): For high-value items or specific security needs, these safes are the way to go. Providing ultimate protection with advanced locking systems and extensive fire, water and burglary resistance, high-end safes are built to withstand both natural disasters and break-in attempts.

Consider Add-On Services

Another factor in your budget should be other related services like delivery, installation and accessories. At A-1 Locksmith, for example, we’re happy to provide a quote that includes safe delivery and installation—and we have a variety of safe accessories we can recommend as well. Just make sure you ask about these costs ahead of time so you aren’t surprised later on and blow your budget. Upfront quotes and estimates are a wise thing to pursue early in the budgeting process.

Determine Financing

Finally, you’ll need to figure out how you want to pay for your safe. If cash isn’t an option, a credit card will usually suffice. But there are often payment plans available as well. 

At A-1 Locksmith, we offer Affirm as a financing option. Whether you’re purchasing online or in store, you can use Affirm to buy now and pay later with flexible plans that fit your budget. You can easily manage everything associated with the purchase via an easy-to-use app and you can get exclusive deals like minimal or low APR. Either way, we’ll work with you to ensure you get the best safe for your budget and security needs.

If you still have questions about how to budget for a safe or you’re ready to start looking at your options, visit one of A-1 Locksmith’s Dallas-Fort Worth locations today, or give us a call.

If you think outside the box, however, you can store a safe in an unexpected place.

While gun safes are large, and many home safes as well, you can at least slow down would-be thieves with these four unexpected places to put a home safe.

1. In the Kitchen

For a place thieves likely won’t look, try the kitchen. Some people use old refrigerators, shelves or cabinets to hide valuables, but it’s not ideal to store valuables in these areas without any extra protection. Consider installing an actual safe in the kitchen instead. You can store it in the back of the pantry, behind a hidden door or under a cabinet. You probably can’t get away with a large safe in this area, but it’s a great unexpected spot for a small or medium safe.

2. In the Stairs

You know that old saying of finding something “under your nose?” That’s what a safe in the stairs is like. You can hide valuables in a safe literally underneath where potential criminals are walking. Under the stairs is a great place for larger safes, but it’s a little more expected than other locations on this list. Actually inside the stair steps themselves is a more unexpected spot, though it’s ideal for the smallest of safes. For larger safes, you could 

3. In a Vent

Wall safes are getting more advanced and versatile these days, as you can buy models that are well cloaked. You can also fit a safe behind a fake vent and it can be any size, since vents vary in sizing as well. Just don’t store valuables or a safe directly in a real air vent, as there’s a chance you could lose them or they could become damaged by cold or hot air. It’s also fairly simple to remove a vent screen with a simple screwdriver.

4. In the Floor

Have you ever seen a movie where the actors find cash hidden in the floorboards? It’s more common than you might think. But, like the other suggestions on this list, we don’t recommend leaving valuables out in the open or stored in an area that isn’t a safe. For several other reasons, your items won’t be protected in case of a fire or explosion. But if you install a safe underground, your belongings will be both hidden and protected.

Now that you’ve reviewed these four unexpected places you can put a home safe, where would you place your safe? This list is far from exhaustive and one for which we’re certain safe owners can have some fun with. 

If you’re interested in a home safe purchase or installation, trust the team at A-1 Locksmith. Stop by one of our Dallas-Fort Worth locations or give us a call at 972-284-7500 to consult with a security expert today!

If you’re worried about home security during showings, here are a few areas to consider.

Home Security System

For starters, what kind of surveillance system do you have in place? While you shouldn’t be spying on your visitors—especially in situations where they should expect privacy—it’s within your rights to monitor your property and the items in it. Consider buying, repairing or expanding your security system for your home, at least when you’re showing it. A professional locksmith company like A-1 Locksmith Security and Safes is a great place to turn for enhancing the security of your home.

Doorbell Cameras

If you don’t feel the need to invest in an entire security system (or you don’t want the expense right before you sell), a doorbell camera is another valuable option. You can record who is visiting your home, yet visitors get privacy for the rest of their tour. A video or voice intercom system can add another layer of protection and visibility—while primarily a commercial security need, it might be a wise idea at any access point. (Especially if your home is quite large.)

Keys

If your home has already had a security issue in the past—or you encounter a visitor you don’t trust—it might be wise to get new locks and/or keys installed. At the very least, you can create duplicate keys for real estate agents and the people on tour of your home so you don’t lose the only copies you own. 

Valuables

Do you have valuable items or belongings out in the open during showings? This is a bad idea for obvious reasons. But we’ll take it a step further and suggest that you don’t keep any valuables in the home at all during this showing period. Or, invest in a home safe where you can securely keep the items most important to you.

Insurance

Even if you consider all of these areas and put security protections in place for your home during showings things can still happen. Criminals can still try to break in, people can steal more than you’d think and children or other visitors can damage the home. In light of this, make sure you have good insurance in place and that it’s up to date, as well as covers these incidents.

Home security during showings might not be your primary consideration as you’re inundated with moving, staging, market volatility etc., but one mistake here can ruin the entire experience for you.

If you’d like more home security tips—during showings or any other time—contact A-1 Locksmith today!

Take security upgrades, for example. 

If your home has a security system, do you really need a safe? What about the opposite scenario? Isn’t only one of these options good enough? Let’s take a look at which security option is better for you, or if investing in both is the best decision.

Advantages of a Safe

Home safes are ideal for keeping valuable belongings secured. At the top of the list are firearms, ammunition, jewelry, cash and important documents. While a security system will alert you to suspicious activity, it won’t do much for physically protecting your most important belongings. Here are some of the other security advantages a safe provides:

• Portability: A safe can be delivered and installed in the location of your choice
• Flexibility: bolt down the safe to the floor or wall, or leave it freestanding. 
• Variety: There are a wide variety of safe sizes and features available today.
• Superiority: When it comes to protecting belongings in a fire, flood or burglary attempt, nothing provides safety and security like a safe (especially with the right safe rating). 

Advantages of a Security System

Security systems don’t physically protect belongings, but they do give you awareness and an extra layer of support in the form of a monitoring company. Using your preferred settings and features, you can set up your home security in a way that gives you superior peace of mind—both at home and on the road. Here are some of the other security advantages a security system provides:

• Visibility: you can install cameras and point them anywhere you’d like.
• Safety: A team of professionals will be ready to alert the authorities should something suspicious happen and trigger an alarm on your property.
• Affordability: Many security systems are more affordable than large or advanced home safes and there are different levels of systems for different budgets.

Benefits of Both

Of course, as a professional security company, we’ll recommend that you invest in both a safe and a security system, if your budget allows. This isn’t just bias; you’ll be able to keep your most precious and valuable items locked away in a well-rated safe while keeping the rest of your home monitored and ready to alert you (or the team monitoring your system). A consultation with a professional locksmith is all you need to determine what your situation requires, and they’ll be happy to recommend certain models, brands or systems.

If you’re in need of a new safe or security system, contact the team at A-1 Locksmith today, or visit any of our DFW-area locations. 

If you’re not a professional, however, you should think twice before you tackle something outside your area of expertise. Home safe delivery is one such area.

We often get asked how we deliver big, bulky safes in hard-to-reach locations. In this post and video, we take a look at a 650-pound Liberty Franklin Model Safe we successfully delivered to a customer who wanted it on the second floor.

Watch the video, and/or read about it below.

Key Components for Safe Delivery

When it comes to home safe delivery, there are a few best practices to consider, whether you’re doing it yourself (with help) or hiring a professional. Here are some of the key components for home safe delivery:

• Reachable location: the safe has to fit in the space and the path to the space.
• Proper weight: the space needs to support the 50-500+ pounds of the safe.
• Experience: whoever is moving it needs to know what they’re doing.
• Multiple people: bigger safes especially shouldn’t be moved alone, even with a dolly.
• Mitigated risk: whether it’s for personal injury or property damage.

Is Delivery or Pickup the Best Option?

The two main factors with this decision are: the size of the safe and the difficulty in delivery. As for the size of the home safe, many people can handle 100 pounds or less with a dolly (assuming no or few obstacles). Anything more than that requires two people and some practical knowledge. So if you’re confident in both of those departments, picking up your safe yourself might be the best option.

If the safe is approaching 200 or 300 pounds (or more), it might require professional equipment and experience. The difficulty of reaching where you want the safe delivered might also require an expert’s strategy, whether it’s up stairs, around corners or past obstacles. (Though be aware an extra fee may be charged for difficult delivery situations like this.) 

How A-1 Safe Delivery Works

At A-1 Locksmith Security and Safes, we pride ourselves in professional, efficient and safe home delivery for our safe options. This includes hiring and training professional team members, using advanced equipment and providing extra security with ropes and/or cords. Finally, we are insured and bonded to provide even more peace of mind.

Need a safe delivered? Interested in purchasing a safe? Contact the team at A-1 Locksmith Security and Safes today and we’ll answer any questions you may have.

Home safes accomplish the same purpose, only with a bit less magic involved. That being said, it’s possible to hide some home safes better than others. Did you know, for example, that you can disguise a home safe to look like a cabinet in your kitchen? Let’s look at this and two other options for storing your home safe that you might not have thought about yet.

1. Attic

When burglars enter your home, they are going to want to spend as little time in it as possible. As such, they’re likely not going to be stumbling around in the attic, looking for valuables. This is just one of the many reasons an attic is a great little-known place for storing a home safe. An attic is difficult to reach, easy to get trapped in and full of great places to hide or camouflage a safe. This is ultimately a great location to consider for items you don’t need to access regularly.

The weight of the safe and access are considerations if you’d like to store it in the attic, but given the security benefits it may be worth an audit by a safe moving company such as A-1 Locksmith. 

2. Kitchen

Next, we move to the kitchen. As mentioned above, you can disguise a home safe to look like one of your cabinets. At first glance, it looks like a simple storage solution, but intruders won’t know your standard cabinetry is a disguise for a safe enclosing your valuables. As with other safes, you can choose the access type and security features that fit your needs. The cabinet isn’t the only place in your kitchen you can hide a safe, however. Other little-known options for storing a home safe in the kitchen include:

• Under the counter
• Behind a hidden wall or shelving
• Under the sink
• In the corner
• Behind other kitchen items

3. Stairs

The third option we’ll be covering today goes to show that if you’re flexible and use your imagination, you can store your home safe wherever you want. Your stairs have multiple opportunities for hiding a small home safe. The first is under-the-stairs storage. Many homes have a door or shelving with a compartment under the stairs for keeping belongings, which makes a great option for concealing your home safe. Another option is creating a hidden compartment in the stairs themselves so a seemingly standard step can open to reveal a hidden safe. With a little creativity and elbow grease, or the help of a trusted safe installation partner, you can store one anywhere.

Interested in more little-known places you can store a home safe? Contact A-1 Locksmith today for a consultation.

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.