The Home Safe and 11 More Steps to Prepare for Fire Season

October 6th, 2011

House on Fire

Fall is known as fire season in Southern California. The vegetation is dry from the hot days of summer and the Santa Ana winds begin to blow. As a SoCal native I remember well as a child looking out our back window and seeing flames moving our way. While Southern California is known for wildfires, they can happen just about anywhere. It is time to take steps to protect your home and valuables against wildfire. At Maximum Security Safes we can help you in this effort with a safe for the home, but there are many other important protective steps to take as well.

  • Family Disaster Plan. Create a plan that includes meeting locations and systems of communication. Review the plan with family members regularly. Keep a copy of the plan handy and a back up in your home safe. Most if not all of the items below should be covered in the plan.
  • Fire Extinguishers. Have them on hand and be sure your family knows where there are and how to use them.
  • Emergency Contact Phone Numbers. Keep a list of emergency contact numbers posted near the phone or somewhere convenient and safe.
  • Shut-off Controls. Ensure that your family knows where your gas, electric, and water main shut-off controls are and how to use them.
  • Escape Routes. Identify safe escape routes from each room in the house.
  • Home Emergency Supply Kit. Assemble a kit that can be easily taken with you.
  • Car Emergency Supply Kit. Keep an extra emergency supply kit in your car in case you can’t get into your home.
  • Meeting Location. Designate an emergency meeting location outside of the immediate area that all your family members know is the place to gather.
  • Out-of-Area Contact. Identify a friend or relative that lives outside the area through whom you can communicate with family members.
  • Portable Radio. Have a portable radio handy so you can stay updated on the fire.
  • Home Safe. Keep critical documents and valuables in a fire resistive home safe so if the worst happens they will be protected.

Fires happen, so let’s be prepared. For more information contact the Orange County Fire Authority and their Ready, Set, Go program.

We at Maximum Security would be happy to consult with you about what kind of safe for the home would be best for your needs. Most of our customers find that a safe with both burglar and fire protection is a great solution to their security needs. Call us today and take the first step in preparing for fire season.

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10 Steps to Protecting Your Home During Summer Vacation

June 13th, 2011

Beach Scene

Summer is here and many of us are looking forward to getting away for a break from the pressure of work and school. Any time we are away our homes are more vulnerable to burglars. Knowing this certainly doesn’t help us to the transition from the stress of everyday life to a restful, relaxing vacation.

The good news is, there are a few simple things we can do to protect our homes and our valuables allowing us to more fully enjoy vacation. While securing your valuables in a quality home safe or gun safe is a good step in the right direction there are a number of other helpful things you can do to protect yourself.

Generally, making your home appear that there is someone living there is a big step in the right direction.

  1. Invite a trusted college student to house sit while you are away. Students often appreciate the opportunity to get away from home for a week or two and sweetening the pot with a bit of cash in exchange for watching over your home, watering plants and/or caring for animals is a great investment.
  2. Put your newspaper and mail on hold. If you are concerned about alerting the paper delivery person consider cancelling the paper and restarting it when you get back in town. Piled up papers in the driveway are a sure sign to a prospective burglar that this home is a hot target.
  3. Park a car in the driveway. Ideally one that will come and go. See if a neighbor is willing to park in your driveway at night when they come home from work.
  4. Install one or more motion sensitive lights around the exterior of your home.
  5. Put multiple inside lights on timers, going off and on at different times.
  6. Add a radio or TV on a timer as well, the sound will be an excellent deterrent.
  7. Make sure your yard is mowed while you are away. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, splurge and pay someone to do it for you while you are away.
  8. If you trust your neighbors, let them know you will be away with the dates you will be gone and a contact phone number in case something suspicious occurs that you might want to know about. Be sure to let them know if you expect anyone to come to your home while you are gone or they and you may be alarmed unnecessarily.
  9. 9. If you don’t already have one, consider a home security system that will notify you and local law enforcement if there is an unauthorized visitor enters your home.
  10. Secure your valuables in a quality home safe or gun safe as your last line of defense against burglary and fire.

At Maximum Security Safes we are concerned about the overall security of your family and valuables. We recognize that the home safes and gun safes we sell are just the last line of defense and that there are a number of other important security measures we all should take. Consider the steps above and before you leave home check out our educational information and selection of home safes and gun safes at Maximum Security Safes or call us at 800-538-0600.

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What’s the BEST Jewelry Safe?

December 14th, 2010

Luxury Jewelry Safe

The one that has room for everything you want to protect, safely and conveniently. The one that looks the way you want it to look. The one that fits where you want to put it. The one that keeps out the bad guy who is stupid enough to break into your home. The one that protects your valuables from fire until the crew puts it out. The one that fits your budget.

Preparation will help you get the right jewelry safe for your needs. Before you go shopping take a mental if not paper inventory of the things you want to protect. Keep in mind you probably have additional valuables you will want to secure when you go out of town and you may acquire more valuables over the years. Think about where the jewelry safe will be placed so that it is convenient and you will actually use it. Take measurements of any tight spaces you so have an idea of how much space you have to work with.

There are many jewelry safes out there, but what you need is the best one for YOU. While it’s not rocket science it does help to talk with a safe expert. All jewelry safes are not created alike and you ought to know what you are getting. Don’t fall prey to the “great deal” that will provide a false sense of security rather than the protection that you need.

To make sure you get the best jewelry safe for your needs visit us on the web at Maximum Security Jewelry Safes
or call us at 800-538-0600 or locally at 714-550-4123. We ship all over the U.S..

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The Best Location for Your Home Safe

November 5th, 2010

Safe Installation

Home safes are a great way to protect your valuables. Where you put your security safe is an important component of the security it will offer. But, there is not one best place. The placement decision should be based on the contents and how frequently you want access to them, the type of safe and how heavy the safe is.

Security safes that hold frequently accessed items should be placed as close to the point of use as possible. The safe won’t offer you much protection if you don’t use it because it isn’t convenient. A home safe used to secure jewelry or watches should be placed in the master dressing room, master bedroom, or possibly a close proximity office or spare room. You may want to secure the safe to a pedestal or reinforced shelf to bring it up closer to eye level for added convenience. If the safe will hold a gun for emergency situations you will likely want it in or near your bedroom. Small pistol safes are great for bolting under the bed, to the bedside table or the inside of the bedroom closet.

If the contents of the home safe are items you don’t need access to frequently then the location is less critical. An out of the way spot is likely your best bet, maybe a remote closet or the garage. Safes that secure guns for hobby can be placed in the garage, office, spare bedroom or even the family room or living room. A beautiful high gloss gun safe can be an attractive addition to your home décor. Security safes used for collections do well in a convenient closet or family room. Fire safes used to secure documents are well placed in an office or the garage.

The type of home safe may dictate where it will be placed as well. Some types are obvious; floor safes are installed into the slab and therefore belong in the garage or ground floor of a slab foundation home. Be sure your home doesn’t have post tension cables before you invest in a floor safe! Wall safes are designed to be discrete. Rather than give away any specific tips here for all to hear we can talk with you privately about ideas for discrete locations over the phone or in person.

The weight of your safe is a factor in placement. Generally safes under 1,000 lbs. can go to the second floor, if your stairs are maneuverable for the size of safe you have selected. Safes over 1,000 lbs. should be placed on the ground floor or in the garage. Carefully select placement of one of these heavy safes if your home has a raised foundation. Be sure to consult an expert to make sure you have chosen an appropriate location.

Call the experts at Maximum Security Safes today to discuss the best location for your safe. There are some additional tips we can share with you personally that are better not shared in a public setting.

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Luxury Jewelry Safes – 5 Things to Look For

October 18th, 2010

Luxury Jewelry SafeWhere do you keep your jewelry?  If you are like many folks it’s in a bedroom or bathroom drawer, crammed in a too small jewelry box, or laying on your bathroom counter.  Maybe you are tricky, and even hide some special pieces in places a burglar would “never find”, or so you hope.

It’s not worth it.  The risk of your jewelry, with precious memories attached, left vulnerable to burglary and fire, just doesn’t make sense.  The thought, it would never happen to me, only works for so long.  The effort and investment required to protect these precious items and the memories they represent is well within reach…enter jewelry safes.

But not all jewelry safes are created alike.  In fact, it is easy to go to either extreme, buying a false sense of security or being scared off thinking jewelry safes need to cost many thousands of dollars.  Good quality, reliable luxury jewelry safes can be affordable and beautiful.

So, what to look for in your jewelry safe:
1)    Independently verified burglar protection, UL RSC labeled
2)    Independently verified fire protection, 1 hour labeled
3)    High security digital lock, UL rated
4)    Interior drawers with organizer sections and protective fabric lining,
5)    The right location to place your safe.

Webster’s definition for a safe is, a place or receptacle to keep articles (as valuables) safe.  Even a fishing tackle box meets that criteria.  I don’t think many of us would feel secure storing our precious valuables in that!  The well know testing agency United Laboratories, UL, tests burglary safes offering a Residential Security label to any security safe meeting the requirements of a quality home burglar safe.  Look for that label.

Fire protection is evaluated based on the minimum amount of time the interior of a safe will stay below 350°F.  A common question is, how long does a typical house fire burn?  Years of attempts to get statistics from fire authorities and fire personnel have brought me no closer to a firm answer than when I began. There are just too many variables involved to get an average or a statistic that can give us comfort.  After 16 years in the jewelry safe business my personal place of comfort is a minimum of one hour of independently verified fire protection.  UL, Mercury and ETL are all highly reputable testing authorities that test safes for fire protection.  This independent testing gives me the confidence that my luxury jewelry safe will perform when put to the test. Look for a 1 hour fire label from a reputable third party testing agency.

There are lots of options available when it comes to locks.  First, be sure you select a jewelry safe with a high security lock.  UL tests locks and verifies their quality.  For your jewelry, don’t mess around with any lock that isn’t designated high security by UL.  High security locks come in three primary styles, the traditional tumble style combination lock, the digital lock and the biometric fingerprint lock.  Any of these three will provide you the security you need.  The digital lock is just so much more convenient than the tumbler and more affordable than the biometric.

Finally, be sure to select a good placement for your luxury jewelry safe.  You want it to be secure so that no one can carry it out.  And, you want it to be convenient so that you will actually use it.

Now, what are you waiting for?  With a little help from the experts at Maximum Security your luxury jewelry safe can be selected and installed in days.  Come on in or call us at Maximum Security Safes, or visit our Jewelry Safes page on the web, and let us help you get your jewelry protected now.

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Gun Owners Face Criminal Charges

September 7th, 2010

Boy with Shotgun

A six-year-old boy found a loaded shot gun under his parent’s bed. His older brother, 12 years of age, saw the younger brother and attempted to take the gun away. The gun accidentally went off critically injuring the younger boy. Why wasn’t this gun securely stored in a gun safe?

These stories are in the news much too often. While this time the setting is Salinas, CA, similar situations occur in cities all across the country, more often than we want to imagine. Adding to the tragedy is the possibility that one or both of these parents could be criminally charged and if convicted and given the maximum penalty could spend three years in prison.

According to the law, a person commits the crime if any loaded firearms are kept around the premises with the knowledge that it is likely within reach of children and could cause them death or great bodily injury. An inexpensive but effective gun safe could have made all the difference for this family.

This heartbreaking situation is completely avoidable. Guns should be kept securely in a gun safe, especially a loaded gun. There is no reason it should be unsecured and within reach of a child, or any unauthorized individual for that matter. In this case the local police department even provides free gun locks, but these parents didn’t take advantage of the offer.

Police departments across the country offer similar gun-safety recommendations:

  • Properly store firearms in locked containers (gun safes).
  • If possible, make sure stored guns are unloaded.
  • Be sure you speak to your children about safe handling of guns and the dangers they pose.

For information about how you can protect your guns call or visit Maximum Security Safes today!

Maximum Security Safes
(800) 538-0600

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Security Risk in the Dorms – Consider A Burglary Safe

August 31st, 2010

Laptop Security Safe Under Bed

Is your son or daughter headed off to college this fall? Have you considered a burglary safe? The dorms are great fun but can also present a security risk. In the midst of the new and exciting social environment students often leave their doors open. New friends and acquaintances stop by and visit and spontaneous gatherings occur. It may not be until hours later that they realize an iPod or digital camera is missing.

College kids these days have a collection of valuable electronic devices; laptops, iPods, iPads, cell phones, digital cameras and maybe even an eReader. In addition students often have some cash, jewelry or other valuables that are put at risk in the dorms. An effective, yet inexpensive security safe can provide a solid solution to this vulnerability.

Look for a burglary safe that has an easy to use, programmable electronic lock. The old fashioned tumbler style locks are time consuming to open and significantly decrease the likelihood that the security safe will be used. The lock should have a key back up in case your student forgets the combination or the batteries run out when the door is locked. Encourage your student to set the custom combination as soon as they get their electronic safe. They should select a combination that is easy to remember but not easy for others to guess. Birthdays are NOT a good idea.

Look for a security safe that provides an easy way for it to be secured to something permanent. Often students use a tether cable to attach the safe to a bed or desk. The burglary safe should be easy to access so that your student will use it. Stowing it in a difficult to get to location, like deep behind the dresser, will deter use. There is no point in having an electronic safe unless it is used!

Look for a burglary safe that is large enough to fit their laptop computer as well as other electronic devices and miscellaneous valuables. We offer one that is just right for this purpose the Laptop Safe fits just about any laptop computer with plenty of room to spare, yet can easily be tucked under the bed or desk. This electronic safe along with a cable lock will give you peace of mind well worth the cost.

College is expensive enough as it is, nobody wants to absorb the cost of replacing a stolen computer or other valuables. Provide your student with a convenient way to secure their valuables and you will all have a lot more peace of mind as they go off on this exciting adventure. Call or visit us at Maximum Security Safes today, we are ready and able to help you get the peace of mind you desire.

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Gun Safe Buyer – How Big Should You Go?

July 12th, 2010

Gun Safe - BF7240

A common complaint of folks who have purchased a gun safe is they wish they bought a bigger one. Home safes are like closets, we fill them up quickly. Most folks will keep their security safe for a very long time, in fact your safe may very well out-live you. Security safes don’t wear out, they just get too small. To make the most of your investment, buy your home safe at least one size bigger than you think you need.

Most of us are concerned about cost. What you will likely find is that as you move up in size within a line of gun safes, the price differential is relatively small. Most times the better values come with the larger sizes. Consider carefully what size home safe you will invest in.

Besides cost, the size decision will be based on two primary considerations; what you expect to put into the gun safe and how much room you have for the safe. It is worth your time to make a list of what you plan to put into the home safe. List out all the items that will stay in the security safe long term, then add the items that will go in and out with regular use, next add the items you will store in the gun safe when you travel and finally keep in mind extra room needed for valuables you will acquire or inherit in the future. Most gun safes are used for a variety of items, not just guns. Once you have a security safe in your house you will find it is a valuable storage place for birth certificates, insurance records, photos, jewelry, a stash of cash, and the list goes on. When your list is complete it is time to consider whether or not the size gun safe needed will fit in the location you had in mind? Some folks find they actually need two home safes.

Two security safes provides the opportunity to put the long term storage items in an out of the way location and a smaller safe, with the items you need more regularly, in a easy to access location. A conveniently located gun safe will be more likely to get used. If it’s not easy to put your items securely away in your home safe you may have a tendency to leave them out and vulnerable. This two security safe approach also makes it easier to have more secure storage space with room to grow.

Selecting the most appropriate size gun safe is as important to your decision as what type of safe. To ensure you get the most out of your “safe” investment consult an expert. At Maximum Security Safes we have expert consultants who are ready to discuss these questions with you. But don’t delay, you don’t want to be the next statistic we read about in the news.

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Gun Safe Digital Lock Not Working

June 16th, 2010

Digital Lock for Gun Safe
Digital locks on gun safes are great…most of the time. They provide quick, easy access to your gun safe, jewelry safe, home safe or business safe with the added benefit of allowing you to choose your own combination. But, when they don’t work it can be very frustrating. The good news is that U.L. rated high security digital locks are extremely reliable and the most common problems are things that you can address yourself, without waiting for, or paying for a technician.

The 4 most common problems with security safe or gun safe digital locks are:

  • Low battery
  • Improper handle position
  • Delayed handle turn
  • Lock out mode

The most common problem in security safe digital locks is low battery. Most gun safes have high security digital locks that are powered by one or two 9-volt batteries and are stored in the external keypad. Batteries typically last 12 to 18 months, but can last shorter or longer based on usage. A low battery condition may offer enough power to generate lights and tones, you may even hear the familiar click as the lock attempts to open your security safe. But, a low battery condition does not provide enough power to fully disengage the lock. To solve this problem access the batteries by either rotating the keypad counter clockwise a quarter turn or by giving the keypad a slight upward push. This releases the keypad from the front of the safe allowing you access to the batteries. Be sure to use fresh Energizer or Duracell batteries and be gentle when removing the old and replacing with the new. Often the wires that connect the batteries are quite delicate. When new batteries are installed, reattach the keypad to your security safe and your lock should be ready to operate under full power and your custom combination should still be in memory.

Another common problem with non-functioning security safe or gun safe locks is related to the handle position. If the safe handle is pressed fully in one direction or the other it can jam the lock making it unable to release when the correct combination is entered. The solution is to find the mid-point in the play of the handle and enter the combination, your gun safe, jewelry safe or home safe should open.
Newer users of security safes and digital locks are the ones most prone to the problem of delayed handle turn.

One of the security features designed into gun safe high security locks is response time. Once the combination is entered the handle must be turned within a few seconds, the precise time varies by manufacturer but is generally in the range of a few seconds. If the combination is entered and that time passes the lock re-locks and the combination must be re-entered for the security safe to be opened.

Lock out mode is another safety feature designed into high security digital locks. If the incorrect combination is entered three or four times, the number varies by manufacturer, the security safe goes into lockout mode for 10 – 20 minutes. The combination is not able to be entered during this time. After the lock out period is complete a single entry of the incorrect combination will put the security safe back into lockout mode, but the correct combination, entered on the first try, will open the home safe, jewelry safe or gun safe.

High security digital locks and good quality security safes, gun safes, jewelry safes or home safes provide peace of mind that is well worth the investment. If you are not sure that your safe is good quality or if you need a safe, call or visit Maximum Security Safes. We are experts in helping you select the safe that best meets their needs at a price you can afford.

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Jewelry Safes and 8 Other Tips to Protect Your Jewelry

June 9th, 2010

Diamond ring for jewelry safe
Jewelry safes protect personal jewelry from damage, theft and fire. The key characteristics of a home jewelry safe include an interior that provides well designed, velvet lined organization for your jewelry and a safe itself that provides verified burglar and fire protection. Third party verification by a reputable testing agency ensures that the protection that you expect is indeed the protection that you are getting with the jewelry safe that you purchase.

In addition to jewelry safes there are several other tips to consider to protect your jewelry. Damage to jewelry is very common, but fortunately proper attention and care can limit if not eliminate the likelihood of damage.

  • Remove jewelry before playing sports, swimming, gardening or doing difficult chores around the house. Be sure to put it in a safe place, your jewelry safe.
  • Don’t leave your jewelry on an open surface such as a counter, near a sink or in a public area.
  • Jewelry should never be put in your pocket, it just isn’t worth the risk. Instead take the time to put it in a safe place, your jewelry safe.
  • Be careful when removing gloves as jewelry can easily become snagged or lost.
  • Personally inspect your jewelry regularly for missing stones or damaged prongs, especially immediately after you bump or catch your jewelry.
  • Periodically have your jeweler inspect your jewelry, especially the items you wear often. A jeweler can detect and repair small problems like a loose prong or faulty clasp before something is lost.
  • Consider insuring your pieces of most significant value. You may find that the cost to insure is reduced if you store your jewelry in a quality jewelry safe.
  • Using a home security system is always a good companion to jewelry safes. The sign on your lawn or window may cause the thief to pass by your house and if they do enter they will know their time is limited.

My daughter’s friend recently found her mom’s diamond, lost 2 ½ years ago, in the backyard at their house. It had already been replaced, at full cost. I had two of my mother’s rings stolen years ago when our home was burglarized, they were never found. Family heirlooms lost forever. The moral of the stories is take precautions with your jewelry before this happens to you. At Maximum Security Safes we have a full selection of jewelry safes and safes of all types and sizes with most items in stock for quick delivery. Check out our jewelry safes on the web or at our Santa Ana showroom this week!

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