When choosing home safes, you want one that is secure from potential burglars but also need to consider how secure the unit will be against fire and flood. You also want to ensure you get one that you can manage on your own and that will fit into the space you've chosen. Note a few factors to remember when choosing a home safe.

Fire protection

A safe will have a fire rating on the outside to note how secure it is when the outside temperature increases. A safe with a higher rating will be more secure against damage due to fire. When checking this rating, you want to think about what you'll be storing inside the safe. Jewelry may be very secure against rising temperatures, but if you'll be storing old film or tapes of any sort, photographs, papers, and items like these, you'll want the best fire rating. These items are more combustible and therefore more susceptible to damage when the temperatures rise, so they need more protection.

Flood protection

A safe will have a water resistance rating just like a fire rating. Many safes that are considered watertight are actually submerged to be tested for their water rating. As with a fire rating, consider what you'll be storing in the safe. Again, jewelry and handguns may be resistant to rising waters, but any type of film or paper will need more protection from water damage. You also need to consider your own risk for flooding; if you live in a flood plain or area prone to tropical storms, you'll want a higher flood protection rating. In the desert, you may not have much risk of a flood so may not need to invest in a safe with a higher water resistance rating.

Weight and size

A heavier safe may seem more secure, but if you move often, you'll need to deal with its weight every time you pack up and go. You might also not like where you have the safe stored when it's delivered and may want to move it and again; its weight can be an issue at these times too. Choose one that is large enough and secure enough for your valuables, but don't opt for a heavier safe just because it seems more secure. Note too that the door needs extra clearance to open completely, so take actual measurements of the area where you'll store the safe so you know it will fit and still be accessible.