Key Takeaways:
Home safes and office safes have a range of differences, not least their placement.
- Home safes are accessed infrequently for items like passports and jewellery, while office safes are used daily by multiple people for documents, cash, and keys.
- Due to frequent use and potential for tampering, office safes may require a dual key system. Home safes typically don’t require this level of security.
- The best home safes can be disguised in inconspicuous locations like walls or floors.
- A quality safe is manufactured with a cash rating. A business safe will likely require a higher cash rating to meet insurance requirements.
Home Safes Vs Office Safes – What’s The Core Difference?
With so many models of security safes on the market, you may wonder what the difference is between home safes and office safes. There’s no doubt that installing a safe is a logical choice to protect your valuable or sensitive items. However, finding the right model to suit your needs can be a tough decision.
While business safes and home safes serve different purposes, both are designed to protect your belongings. Read on to find out the five main differences between the two.
1- Safety Cash Rating
A quality safe will be manufactured in accordance with a particular safe rating. Without the presence of additional monitoring, a safe cash rating can vary from $5,000 to $50,000. The higher the rating, the higher the defence against theft.
For commercial safes, a higher rating is more important, but perhaps isn’t as much of a priority for home safes.
2- The Locking Mechanism
Both home and office safes can feature a range of different locks, including:
- Key locks
- Electronic locks
- Keypad locks
For office safes, a dual-key safe is a good option to provide an added layer of security. As it requires two keys, it’s a good way to ensure an extra person is present to witness the office safe being opened and closed. Many businesses have a policy ensuring that at least two witnesses are on hand when money and sensitive items are transported or stored.
Since your home safe won’t be at as much risk from foot traffic, you can choose the most convenient locking mechanism for your needs.
3- What Contents are Going In Your Safe?
Home safes and office safes are used for very different reasons. This is reflected in the type of content you may want to store in your safe.
Home Safe:
- Passports
- Birth certificates
- Jewellery
- Photographs or keepsakes
- Copies of wills
- Legal documents
- Financial information like investments and bank accounts
Office Safe:
- Business records
- Contracts
- Keys
- Computer media
- Petty cash
- Confidential documents
- Insurance policies
4- Placement and Location
The amount of foot traffic your home or business gets is an important factor when deciding on the placement of your safe. Companies tend to see more traffic than homes, meaning there is a greater risk of tampering.
However, placement still matters. Choosing a discreet, hidden location to wall-mount your safe, or even a floor safe, adds an extra layer of protection. In both cases, the golden rule is the same: your safe should be easily accessible to you, but hard for would-be thieves to reach.
5- Size
Home safes are typically smaller, as they’re designed to hold personal valuables such as documents, jewellery, and cash. Office safes, however, can come in a range of sizes and are usually larger to store keys, files, and cash.
When choosing a safe, consider both what you need to protect and the space available to ensure the right balance of size and security.
Tips & Tricks To Get The Most Out Of Your Safe
- If your business deals in high-value items, make sure you understand your insurance policy. It may detail specific steps (like requiring professional installation) that are needed to uphold your policy.
- Bolt or anchor your safe to the floor or wall to prevent thieves from easily carrying it away.
- Consider a safe with a fire protection rating if you’re concerned about protecting documents from heat or fire damage, but keep in mind these safes often have a lower level of protection from theft.
If you’d like some expert support in choosing the best safe for your needs, contact our team at U R Safe today, and we’ll talk you through your options.