People have increasingly started relying on Wall Safes to secure their valuables. Wall Safes are a type of safe where you fix the safe on the wall. You can hide it behind a painting or any other physical structure. However, they are inaccessible to burglars and prevent your valuable items from theft. In this increasingly technological world, Wall Safes are available with excellent features that add security and protection. This article has everything you need to know before purchasing a Wall Safe.
Types Of Home Safes
Before buying any residential safe, you must know that the safe you use to store your documents is not similar to the safe where you store firearms. Before going through the things you should know before buying a wall safe, let’s check out the different types of home safes and vaults available in the market.
- Wall Safes – A Wall Safe is a safe type where the safe or vault is mounted onto the wall.
- Floor Safes – A Floor Safe is a type of safe where the safe or vault is planted into the floor.
- Weapon Safe – Unlike the above two safes that are named after the place where they are located, Weapon Safe is purely used to store weapons.
A Wall Safe is an ideal option when you want to have a safe that is easily accessible but hidden from the privy eyes of burglars. It is advantageous as it does not occupy space and is quite easy to install.
7 Factors To Consider Before Buying A Wall Safe
Are you planning to buy a wall safe for your home? Not all Wall Safes are the same. They have striking dissimilarities which you must take into consideration while buying one. Contrary to the misconception that all Wall Safes are the same, you must consider a number of factors before purchasing the right residential safe.
1. Lock Mechanism
Generally, residential safes come with four types of locking mechanisms. Let’s go through each type so that you will be able to purchase the right lock type for your wall safe.
A. Keyed Lock
Keyed locks are the most common type of lock mechanism which is generally employed in wall safes. They are even used in traditional vaults to secure the valuables stored inside them. Due to the rise in burglary and the quick accessibility advantage for thieves in keyed locks, safe locksmiths have stopped using keyed locks as the primary locking mechanism in modern locks. However, they are added as a secondary level of security.
B. Numeric Keypad
A Numeric Keypad type of locking mechanism is available in the most popular wall safe. These types of locks are not mechanical, rather they are digital. All you have to do is enter a 4 to 8 numeric digit code and you can unlock the safe. These locks are reliable and are difficult to open by third parties.
C. Combination Dial
Combination dials have existed since the beginning of time. They are used even now by most establishments. Take school lockers, students use combination dials to unlock their lockers. To unlock this type of wall safe, you have to spin the dial back and forth to add the preset combination. It is just like a Numeric Keypad, the only difference is it is mechanical.
D. Biometric Lock
In Biometric locks, you can unlock the safe by scanning your fingerprints or the retina of your eyes. This is the most advanced version of the locking mechanism used in wall safes. It has the added advantage of storing more than one fingerprint and retinal scan.
2. Thickness Of The Steel Door
Another essential factor that you should consider while buying a residential safe is the thickness of the steel door. With wall safes made up of steel doors, you have to be aware of the thickness of the steel door. If you have a robust locking mechanism without a solid physical structure, it becomes effortless for burglars to cut the door off.
Hence, the thickness of the steel door should be a minimum value of ½ mm and the thickness of the body should be at least ¼ mm. Also, it is a must for wall safes to have steel doors or thick walls.
3. Materials Used
There are three factors that you must check when it is about choosing the material for your wall safe. A sturdy material will prevent the accessibility of your safes and vaults by burglars.
- To have higher durability, choose a material that consists of heavy-gauge steel or steel alloys.
- Make sure that the physical structure has a powder coating that will prevent rust and corrosion from damaging the steel.
- The inner surface must have cutouts or foams to safeguard precious belongings from damage.
4. Storage Capacity
As Wall Safes are usually smaller in size, the capacity of the valuables that you can store is relatively small. The storage capacity depends on the space availability in your residential area. The typical spacing is around 16 inches which is between two studs. Subtracting the space of the physical structure, you’ll have only 14 inches of space. Hence, it reduces the probability of having a bigger vault.
Within this storage capacity, you have to decide on the documents, handguns, or jewelry that you want to store. If you want to increase the space, you can increase the depth of the Wall Safe. However, you can also reach out to a contractor if you want a larger space.
5. UL Ratings
Another essential parameter that you must check is the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) Ratings. It is a safety certification used for electrical appliances. However, you can also use it to assess the quality of your Wall Safe. Before purchasing a safe, check the UL rating so that they offer the protection they advertise.
Different UL Ratings
| UL Rating | Time Taken By Lock-Cracking Tools To Unlock |
| RSC (Residential Security Container) | 5 Minutes |
| TL (Tool Resistant) – 15 | 15 Minutes |
| TL (Tool Resistant) – 30 | 30 Minutes |
Like UL Ratings, there are other ratings that rate the quality of Wall Safe depending on several parameters.
6. Re-locker
Nowadays, most Wall Safes come with a Re-locker facility. Re-locker is an additional layer of security that prevents burglars from robbing your valuables. This is an essential feature to have if you feel that there is an increased risk of security. A Re-locker is generally a small bolt in the door of the safe. It remains hidden so thieves will not be able to decide if your safes and vaults have it.
When someone attempts to unlock your Wall Safe through drills, the Re-locker will be triggered. This will prevent unlocking of the safe and it requires hours of drilling to access the valuables. When a Re-locker is enabled, you have to reach out to a safe locksmith to open the safe as your locking mechanism cannot unlock the safe.
7. Compartments
Wall Safes are available with a number of compartments. So, you can choose to have a Wall Safe with one compartment or multiple compartments. Also, if you need, you can opt to have an additional lock in each compartment to safeguard more valuable items. With the help of these compartments, you can store items in specific groups and prevent confusion while accessing a particular item.
About Desert Locksmith
Desert Locksmith of Arizona is a pioneer in offering locksmith services across Phoenix. With more than 15 years of experience in locksmith service, Desert Locksmith provides top-notch services to the community with their advanced technology and personalized services. Their service is available across Phoenix, Tempe, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, Glendale, Mesa, and Peoria.
They offer a wide range of services that include:
- Automotive Locksmith Service
- Residential Locksmith Service
- Commercial Locksmith Service
- Safe Sales & Service, and many more.
We are just a phone call away. Feel free to call us at 602-301-5243. Our experts will reach your location right away to deliver the requested service.