Everyone is security-conscious nowadays, and this includes keeping your valuables secure. You could rent a safe deposit box at your local bank, but that's expensive and inconvenient. Many people have chosen to have a safe in their homes, and there are a vast number of styles and models to choose from. A wall safe is a good solution, allowing you to keep valuables and important papers right in your home, easily accessible yet secure.
One of the great advantages of a wall safe is that it's built right into the wall of your home, attached to the studs. For extra security through obscurity, you can cover the safe with a removable picture or panel. Burglars can't find it, and even if they do, it's bolted solidly to the structure of your home and not easily removable. Traditional floor safes can be picked up by determined crooks and removed, to be cracked open at the thief's leisure. As you decide on a wall safe for your home, keep some factors in mind. How much do you need to put inside the safe? Wall safes tend to be narrow, since they have to fit between the 16 inch gap between studs. Typical models range between 14 and 22 inches in height.
Always choose a wall safe with a high Underwriters Laboratories (UL) rating - A is the best. An "A" rated safe is designed to withstand temperatures up to 2000 degrees and is highly resistant to impact or tampering. Look for wide flanges on either side of the wall safe - the flanges are bolted to the studs to secure your safe. Two inches is a reasonable width, and the flanges eliminate the necessity to replaster the wall around the installation site. Some high-security models are designed for installation within a concrete block wall, with the safe bolted directly into the concrete from the inside of the safe.
A very important consideration is deciding on the lock mechanism for your wall safe. You can choose between dial, key, combined dial and key, electronic - even biometric, which means the safe only unlocks to your fingerprints. There are a large number of on-line vendors who offer wall safes. Locally you can check with a locksmith or security company. They can help you decide on the safe, discuss installation options, and find a solution that works for you.
