Safes & Vaults

• Burglary safes protect against burglary, and some are rated as to the burglary resistance they offer. Not all burglary safes protect against fire and heat.
• Fire safes protect the contents against fire and heat damage (usually limiting the internal temperature of the safe to 350ºF). Not all fire safes offer protection against burglary.
• Data safes protect the contents against fire and heat damage, but exceed fire safe ratings in that they are rated limit the internal temperature of the safe to 125ºF. Data storage materials such as tapes and discs will melt or warp at lower temperatures (around 140ºF), and the information can be lost.
• Other types of safes are also available.

Underwriters Laboratories (U.L.) is the most accepted and most common rating in the United States. However, safes can be rated by any one of many organizations. Here are a few Labels you may encounter:

• J.I.S.— Japanese Industrial Standards
• K.I.S.— Korean Institute Standards
• C.C.C— China Compulsory Product Certification Starting in October of 2005 you may see this Label. Many safe companies are now importing more safes from China.
• Manufacturer’s Fire Rating Label— Many safe manufacturers test their products for fire resistance and label them accordingly.
• There are many other rating organizations.

• Floor Safes are installed in the floor and often concealed by the flooring material. When installed in the first floor, and in concrete, they’re not only very secure (depending on the rating and construction), but offer a fair degree of fire protection. The down side of a floor safe is that they are inconvenient to use, and we don’t suggest using an electronic lock due to probable exposure to moisture.
• Wall Safes are easily concealed and convenient to use. The downside is very limited storage space, very little protection against an aggressive burglar and, no protection against fire. At BB Locksmith, we can tell you how to improve the shortcomings of a wall safe.
• Free Standing Safes are convenient to use, just as secure as any other safe (depending on rating or other factors), and can be placed almost anywhere. The only real downside is that they take up room. The height, width and depth of the safe is an important consideration.

• Mechanical combination locks have been the standard of the industry in the US for well over 100 years. They’re time tested, and very secure against all but the most proficient safecrackers. The down side is that they’re the most complicated locks to use and require good lighting to read the dial. At BB Locksmith, you’re welcome to spin the dial a few times to check it out.
• Digital electronic locks are the easiest to use, therefore making the safe more accessible. The easier the safe is to use, the more likely it is to be used, and the more likely valuables will not be left out. There is really no downside to electronic locks. At BB Locksmith, we invite you to try one.
• Key locks are not very popular in safes except as a secondary locking system. The downside is that the key, which is often hidden, may be lost or used by unauthorized persons to open the safe. With a combination lock, what’s necessary to open the safe is stored safely in your memory. At BB Locksmith you can choose from a variety of High Security key locks.