Why Install a Safe?
According to Home Office statistics reported by the British Crime Survey, a home burglary takes place every 37 seconds in the UK. This amounts to more than one million incidents each year, 75 percent of which take place when homeowners are not at home. A burglar can enter a home swiftly and remove valuable items within a matter of minutes. By placing valuable items and documents in a hidden safe, you minimise the chance of them being stolen.
Installing a hidden safe will protect important belongings, as well as give you an increased sense of security and peace of mind. Safes basically fall into three categories: wall or wall-mounted safes, freestanding safes, and in-floor safes and with a wide variety of models to choose from, there is sure to be a safe that meets your needs and budget. Since you're already undertaking a renovation, your builder may be able to add your safe for little or no additional cost, if he is already working on the floor or wall. While you're adding a safe to your home, it is a good idea to buy the best quality you can afford, but you can pick up wall and floor models from around £100. This cost-effective addition to your home renovation project may even save you money on your home contents insurance policy.
Protecting You and Your Property
If you have available space and a large amount of valuable property to protect, you may want to consider adding a safe room, while you're undertaking your other renovations. In addition to protecting your property, the safe room could also protect you and your family in the event of a home invasion or other catastrophic event. A home security specialist can survey your home and design a safe room that will provide adequate protection to meet your specific needs. Weatherproofing, ventilation, external independent communications, fireproofing and nuclear, chemical and biological filtration systems will all be considered to provide you with safe harbour until police arrive.
Unique Ways to Hide a Wall Safe
A wall safe can be hidden away behind a piece of artwork or furniture to provide protection from burglars, while giving the key-or combination-holder easy access. If you find it difficult to bend down you may prefer a wall safe which can be mounted at arm level instead of a sunken floor model or a freestanding safe, which you have to bend to access. As well as hiding a wall safe behind a picture or wall hanging, a kitchen or bathroom renovation gives you the opportunity to hide your safe in less conventional places. For example, in a bathroom you could disguise the safe as a medicine cabinet or hide it behind a bathtub panel.
In a kitchen, you could use a cabinet door to create a faux kitchen cabinet, behind which to hide your safe. A decorative key box or a chalk board could also act as a covering for your safe. In order to avoid extensive remodeling of your wall, you can find safes that are designed to fit between the studs in walls. You should also measure the depth of your wall, since you do not want to purchase a safe that is thicker than the wall itself.
If you plan to store paper and digital media, select a safe that is fireproof. Class A-rated safes can withstand 2,000 degrees for up to four hours, Class B-rated safes can withstand 1,850 degrees for up to two hours and a Class-C model can withstand up to withstands 1,000 degrees for up to one hour. The most inexpensive type of wall safe is the type that can be mounted behind a light switch plate.
Bury Your Treasures So That They are Easily Retrievable
Buried safes or "floor safes" as they are known in the security industry, are usually square- or round-shaped safes with the safe door facing upwards. This type of safe is usually installed in concrete at ground level, so that the safe and cover plate are mounted flush with the surrounding concrete. It can then be concealed by a piece of furniture, carpet or rug. Particularly in a bathroom or laundry room setting, you could hide your floor safe under a faux drainage grill. In a conservatory, your floor safe could be well hidden by a potted plant. Residential floor safes are generally available in 8-inch by 11-inch and 8-inch by 15-inch models.
