SAFE BUYING ADVICE

Frequently Asked Questions

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[accordion-item title="Why is a safe essential for my home or business?"]

Fire and theft represent a serious threat to both home and business. Statistics show that over the years chances of being burgled or the potential of a fire at your home or business are increasing at an alarming rate. It is crucial to be prepared.

Invest in a fire and theft resisting safe, and this will offer 2 forms of defence, the first being the obvious fire protection, and the second providing a high resistance against theft and burglary.

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[accordion-item title="Does a fire rated safe protect cash and valuables?"]

Yes. However we strongly recommend that you purchase a safe with a 1hr minimum fire rated certification as typically a safe with less fire rating than this may not provide adequate protection for paper or money in the event of a fire, and the safe should also have a certified cash rating as this usually determines the value that is suggested to be stored in the safe overnight.

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[accordion-item title="Can I store diskettes, data, media, photos or other sensitive items in my fire rated safe?"]

No. Data and media being CD's, disks, tapes etc need more protection against heat, humidity, and moisture therefore must be stored in a Data and Media Safe. These safes are specifically designed to protect such items and are essential.
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[accordion-item title=" What is the different between a fire resisting safe and a theft resisting safe?"]

Fire resisting safes offer adequate protection for your paper documents and even limited amounts of cash from heat and smoke, and against water but they are generally constructed from very thin metal which can easily be punctured or cut through with simple hand tools.

Theft resisting safes are usually constructed of high strength barrier material and utilises a list of security features that provides a defence against theft and burglary with some having fire ratings.

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[accordion-item title="Will you help me put my safe in place?"]

We can deliver and install your safe, or you can pick it up. We offer door to door delivery via courier for safes under 40kgs and an inside delivery service where we will take your safe into its location and secure it in place. We strongly suggest that you opt for inside delivery, especially if the safe will need to go upstairs or on a higher floor that needs to be reinforced for its weight. If you are planning on bolting down your safe, failure to get professional assistance could damage it and render your safe useless.

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[accordion-item title="What is a good fire rated safe to purchase for a high fire prone area?"]

Fire resisting safes are tested and approved to comply with stringent test methods to certify the fire rating from 30 minutes to 1 hour, 2 hour, and 3 hour. We would suggest a certified fire safe with a 2 or 3 hour fire rating.
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[accordion-item title="Do Keyless Combination locks and Electronic Digital locks provide the same level of security protection?"]

Superior quality combination locks and digital locks are certified to comply with the highest security standards and both provide an excellent level of protection.
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[accordion-item title="Safe Maintenance and Servicing?"]
To ensure your safe continues to provide the highest level of security protecting your valuables, cash and private documents, it is vital that a routine maintenance and service is conducted at least once a year by one of our professional and qualified safe technicians that have the skill knowledge and expertise to provide a complete service based on years of experience.
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[accordion-item title="What will happen if the batteries go dead in the Electronic Digital lock?"]

Good quality Electronic Digital locks will trigger a low battery warning by displaying repeated warning LED flashing lights combined with audible alerts to remind users to replace the batteries well in advance. This can be done quickly and easily, your confidential code will be retained in the Electronic Digital locks memory, and when changing the batteries you can continue to use your existing code.

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[accordion-item title="Is it easy to change my safe combination code?"]
Your safe will come with quick and easy user friendly opening instructions at the time of your purchase and this will guide you through changing your safe code. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call or email one of our friendly safe consultants within our technical support team.
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[accordion-item title="What if I lose my safe combination entry code?"]

The best option is to contact one of our safe advisers in technical support team who have the experience, skill and knowledge to provide advice on how to open and reset a new combination so if you do misplace your entry code combination we will recommend a suitable measure to avoid re-occurrence.
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[accordion-item title="How can I bolt down my safe securely"]
Most safes will come with anchoring bolt holes and fixing points, and we strongly recommend you use them. The purpose of anchoring your safe down will reduce unauthorised removal of your safe, and help prevent against theft and burglary. Modern security safes are progressively getting lighter due to advances in technology, this makes them quite easy to carry especially smaller safes so without bolting and anchoring to the floor, thieves can simply pick up the safe and walk away.
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[accordion-item title="What are my warranties and guarantees on my safe?"]

When you purchase a safe from Safeguard Safes rest assure you have chosen a premium quality safe. Should anything go wrong with your safe you deserve assurance that the manufacturers will stand behind them products. Manufacturers warranties will vary depending on time limits and also vary between safe construction, and safe locking mechanisms.

Proof of purchase is required to honour warranty. The warranty and guarantees are that of the manufacturers, and we hold no liability towards warranties but we will assist to have your issues attended to quickly.
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[accordion-item title="What is your opinion on the purchase of a pre-used safe? Are they safe and secure?"]
A quality second hand safe that is purchased from a reputable company can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars compared to a new safe. Most have been fully serviced and are in a new condition, and also come with a full warranty.

Often these safes are made of superior quality, with security features and craftsmanship that are no longer available in today's newer safes. Some of these pre-used safes are like a small fortress providing a formidable defence against burglary attack by protecting your cash, jewellery, documents and valuables.  Some safe companies will have you believe the integrity of secondhand safes have been compromised for various reasons such as they have been damaged or repaired, they are not working properly or they are very old. You can rest assure that these high quality safes where made with security, quality, and reliability in mind.

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[accordion-item title="What are the cheap low cost safes really like for fire and theft protection?"]

Like everything, you get what you pay for. Most cheap, low cost safes can look strong and secure to the unsuspected buyer but they usually offer little or no fire and theft protection and are often relied on to secure your cash and valuables. The majority offer no professional certification for their fire and cash rating and are constructed with very thin metal that can be quickly and easily cut open or pryed open by simple hand cutting tools.

You will usually store some of your most important items you own in the safe so make sure you get expert safe advice from one of our skilled and knowledgeable safe advisors that will help you select a safe that caters for your level of requirements.

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[accordion-item title="Do you have showrooms and warehouses where we can view the safes, and pick up also?"]

Safeguard Safes have actual showrooms and warehouses Australia wide where you can view our safes. Please confirm with our safe sales team for further details as some states do not carry all safe models.

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[accordion-item title="Can I arrange to get my safe delivered and professionally installed in my home or business?"]

We offer a complete service Australia Wide Service. Our professional safe technicians have the skill, knowledge and technique to provide a full service, delivery and installation of your safe, and manoeuvre it into its final position including bolting it down and if need be they will educate you and your staff on how to operate the Digital and Combination operating instructions. Ask about our extra discount that applies on installation and delivery when you purchase a safe from us.

Safeguard Safes also offers a delivery service, please refer to our Shipping and Returns Page.

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[accordion-item title="What size safe should I buy?"]

We always advise our customers to buy a bigger safe than you think. Some of the most common feedback from our customers is "we had enough room 10 years ago", so also think of the value of the contents you may place into the safe in the future.

You will normally have a safe for many years so it is better to buy bigger now, and it is important that you determine the area inside the safe, and do not try to gauge it from the front. The safes external dimensions look different from the inside and the safes interior dimensions can differ considerably between different brands.

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[accordion-item title="Where should I put my safe?"] There is not a best place for your home safe but because you will often be accessing your safe regularly for items such as cash, jewellery, documents etc frequently the safe should be installed in a convenient place, a closet or a cupboard in the bedroom is a suitable place.

A business safe is generally installed in a place which is not visible to the general public, whether this area is covered by security cameras as an extra layer of security, it is up to the individual. We often advise that a business safe be installed in a room with limited access and where the door is locked and only authorised staff have access to the room.

No matter where you decide to locate your home or business safe, having it professionally installed is crucial to the security and protection of your valuables.

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[accordion-item title="Most commercial and personal safes have a UL Rating. What does this mean?"]

A UL rating is an Underwriters Laboratory rating. This means the safe has been tested against various threats and given a rating of its protection skills. Safes are normally tested and given a rating according to their ability to withstand tools, torches and other kinds of entrance attempts. If you are planning on storing high-value items, this rating is important.

There is no such thing as a theftproof safe – only one that can resist it under pressure.
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[accordion-item title="What is a Fire Rating? "]

Fire rated safes are given time (in minutes) that they can withstand intense heat. This is for safes that store flammable items like documents or electronics. A fire resistant safe will not necessarily be theft resistant, and vice versa. Also, a data media fire resistant safe will not be suitable for storing papers and a fire resistant paper safe is not suitable for storing CDS, photos and negatives.
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[accordion-item title=" What kind of lock should I use?"]

Digital locks offer biometric access, can be used by multiple users, provide a record of access and can be set to lock on a time delay. Combination locks are less convenient to use but equally impenetrable. No matter what you choose, you’ll be told how to change your code should you forget it. We suggest that you select an uncommon code that isn’t easy to guess and keep a record of it in another location. This way, if you cannot reset your safe you won’t have to call out a technician. Remember to keep your electric lock charged if it runs on battery power.
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