Security for your most valuable possessions — who wouldn’t want that in their own home? The purchase of a tested, certified safe is a suitable solution. Here you can find out what types of safes are available and what you should think about in advance.
A safe for your home that offers protection for your most important and valuable items is a sensible investment. To make the right choice when looking for the perfect safe, there are a few things to consider. We will be happy to answer all your questions and provide you with the most important information and tips on the subject of safes. You will soon be able to store your most important valuables privately, securely and carefree in your flat or house.
For small and large treasures
The right size of safe
Safes are available in all sizes. It is important to think about what you want to store in your safe before you buy it. It is an advantage if the space is not only just sufficient for these items, but also if other valuables are added. This way you can benefit from your safe in the long term. Because what should never happen is that you have to decide by process of elimination which items you can and cannot store in the safe. In addition to the space that the valuables take up in the safe, the security aspect must also be considered when choosing the size of a safe. A small furniture safe may seem practical at first glance, as it is compact and can be easily installed in your home without any major effort. However, this aspect also means that it only offers a very low level of security.
The smaller and lighter a safe is, the easier it is to remove in the event of a break-in. Whenever possible, no attempt is made to crack the safe on site during a break-in: after all, every minute spent on site increases the likelihood of being caught. For this reason, the burglars try to take the safe with them. Once they have done this, they have all the time in the world to break it open by force. For this reason, insurance companies used to classify the sum insured that could be stored in a safe according to the weight of the safe. Although this is no longer the state of affairs today (because just because something is heavy does not mean that it is also resistant), it is perfectly understandable with this background.
For every application
Different types of safes
Depending on the area of application and the items you want to store in the safe, a different type of safe is suitable for your home. In addition to the safe model, which you can select for different purposes, the interior can also be customised to suit your needs. When choosing the type of safe, it is also important to consider which security level you require for your safe: This is because not all models are certified to the same standards and are available in all resistance classes.
We would be happy to advise you personally
on the subject of buying a safe.
Vault
Safes, also known as strongboxes, are available in different sizes and security levels. High-quality and reliable products are certified in accordance with the European standard EN 1143–1 and labelled with a sticker. This guarantees the safe’s resistance to violent attacks and break-in attempts.
A security safe is the right choice if you want to store valuable items safely at home. Thanks to the categorisation into security levels (also known as security classes, resistance grades or resistance classes), you can easily choose the right model according to the valuables you want to store in the safe. The higher the resistance grade, the higher the insured value of the safe contents and the more valuable items you can store in your safe. The resistance grades range from resistance grade 2 to resistance grade 7.
As a safe is a long-term investment, ease of use is an important issue in addition to security. After all, only those who enjoy their safe and can store their valuables in it optimally will use it regularly. For this reason, in addition to the design and manufacture of high-security Swiss-made safes, we also specialise in the production of individual interior fittings. This means that your watches, jewellery, precious metals or other valuables will find a place to be stored that is tailored to you. There are no limits to the colours and materials used.
Depending on the size of the safe, there is also the option of a plinth. This is placed under the safe and raises it to a convenient height for operation. The plinth is equipped with an electronic combination lock and offers additional space to store documents or other items protected from unauthorised access. It can be used, for example, to store private documents when tradesmen or cleaners are in your home or when you receive visitors.
Gun safe
Owning weapons is a responsible task. Apart from that, they may also have a high value — both materially and emotionally. In the event of theft, they cannot simply be replaced. On top of this, unlike the theft of other valuables, it is uncertain what the weapons will be used for in the future. Nobody wants to be responsible, even if only indirectly, for criminal activities or even bodily harm, and you don’t want to carry around the worries of a possible scenario. For this reason, it is advisable to purchase a gun safe for your own safety, but also for the safety of those around you. This allows you to store your weapons and ammunition safely and carefree. The gun safe can be customised according to your needs so that you can store your weapons in the best possible way. In addition to a pull-out slide for several long guns, the safe also has space for holders for handguns. In addition to weapons, you can also store other valuables in the safe, such as watches, jewellery, cash or other possessions that are important to you. The gun safes from WALDIS can be fully customised according to your requirements.
Furniture safes
The furniture safe is one of the smallest safes. Accordingly, it only offers limited space and is often used to store electronic items, documents, cash or other smaller valuables. It can be installed and anchored in wall cabinets or other pieces of furniture with little effort and in a short installation time. It is important to emphasise that furniture safes only provide access protection. This means that they are not certified against burglary and violent attacks. Accordingly, they can be broken into more easily using force. For this reason, furniture safes are well concealed. This means that they are not immediately visible to potential intruders.
Wall-Safe
The wall safe is very similar to the furniture safe — with the difference that, as its name suggests, it is built into a wall. This requires a somewhat more complex installation, which also depends on the structural conditions, such as the wall thickness and condition. Like furniture safes, wall safes only offer a low level of burglary protection: if burglars discover them, the probability that they will be broken into is very high. For this reason, only smaller valuables should be stored in wall safes.
Fire protection cabinets
If you want to protect irreplaceable documents, valuable papers or heat-sensitive data carriers in a safe, a fireproof safe is probably the right choice. As the name suggests, these safes are fireproof and explicitly certified against fire. If you also want certified burglary resistance, this is a separate, additional test that the safe model must pass. Such combined safes are known as ‘duplex safes’. You can find out more about fire-resistant safes and their certifications in the following section.
Specially certified safes
Fireproof for documents
If you only want to store documents or heat-sensitive data carriers in a safe, you should be well informed about the certifications when purchasing a safe. The EN 1143–1 certification specifies the degree of resistance to burglary, but does not guarantee the fire protection of a safe. Nevertheless, it can be assumed that the higher the resistance grade according to EN 1143–1, the higher the fire resistance. After all, tools such as oxygen lances or plasma cutters are also used during the test for this certification, which the safe must be able to withstand. Experience has shown that the contents of WALDIS safes remain intact even after a full fire. This is due to the thick armouring and the thin gaps in the safe. As an additional safety feature, a fire-resistant seal can also be fitted, which swells at a temperature of 110° C and prevents fire and extinguishing water from entering the safe.
However, if you need complete security in terms of fire resistance (fire protection) because you want to store electronic data carriers or irreplaceable documents in it, it is advisable to purchase a certified fire safe for your home. The applicable certification standards for this are EN 1047–1 and EN 15659. The different fire protection classes differ in terms of the minimum protection time against fire and the material that is protected for the corresponding time. As paper and electronic data carriers are sensitive to heat in different ways, this is an important factor. Paper can start to burn from a temperature of 175° C without fire contact, digital data carriers such as USB sticks or DVDs start to deform from 110° C, floppy discs even from 52° C. For this reason, the internal temperature of the safe must not exceed this temperature.
Certification EN 15659
| Fire protection class | Material in the fire safe | Minimum protection time |
|---|---|---|
| LFS30P | Paper | 30 minutes |
| LFS60P | Paper | 60 minutes |
Certification EN 1047–1
| Fire protection class | Material in the fire safe | Minimum protection time |
|---|---|---|
| S 60 P | Paper | 30 minutes |
| S 120 P | Paper | 60 minutes |
| S 60 D | Paper, DVD, USB memory | 60 minutes |
| S 120 D | Paper, DVD, USB memory | 120 minutes |
| S 60 DIS | Paper, DVD, USB memory, floppy discs | 60 minutes |
| S 120 DIS | Paper, DVD, USB memory, floppy discs | 120 minutes |
We are happy to advise
you personally.
Important safety component
Safe with electronic combination lock instead of key safe
When purchasing a safe for your home, the choice of lock is an important factor. In the past, people still used to open safes with a key, but nowadays you should definitely avoid this as it is simply the least secure method. A key can be lost, stolen, copied or found and this is exactly what will cause you chaos in the event of a break-in.
If the burglars see that your safe can be opened with a key, they will search your entire house for it. This is not only bad because of the damage it causes, but also because the success rate of finding the key is surprisingly good. That’s why you should definitely buy a safe with an electronic combination lock, which is state of the art these days.
Electronic combination lock
Electronic security locks are not only highly secure due to the numerous number combination options, but also because of the additional options and functions they offer. Depending on the electronic lock, it is possible to connect the safe to an alarm system or to store an emergency opening code in the event of a threat. If you open the safe with this code, an alarm centre is automatically notified and you receive help as quickly as possible. An electronic lock also offers the option of storing several opening codes for different users. It is impossible to ‘pick’ the lock, even if state-of-the-art tools are used. If the opening code is entered incorrectly several times, locking times increase with each new incorrect entry.
For a user experience that leaves nothing to be desired
Safe accessories
The purchase of a safe is a complete success if its interior fittings also meet your requirements. That’s why we offer you a wide range of accessories and manufacture customised interior fittings on request.
Varnish
The individualisation of the safe begins with the paint finish. This can be either textured or high-gloss. You are spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing between the various RAL and NCS colours. Thanks to airbrushing, it is also possible to apply any motif to the safe. In addition to classic images, organic patterns such as wood or marble can also be realised, which look deceptively real thanks to this technique.
Interior lighting
The safe can be fitted with an LED so that your valuables always shine in the best light. This not only looks great, but is also practical because it means you always have all your items in view — no matter what time of day. This makes using the safe twice as much fun.
Watch and jewellery storage
Watches and other pieces of jewellery are often stored in safes. Particularly when it comes to mechanical watches, it is important that they are moved regularly despite being stored quietly so that the hands do not suddenly stand still the next time they are worn. For this reason, watch winders can be installed individually or in a console of any number in the safe.
Jewellery trays are an elegant solution for storing jewellery. These are manufactured with your preferred layout and covered in the fabric of your choice. We will be happy to advise you and show you various options.
Customised products
In order to fulfil some wishes, customised products are required. We would be happy to discuss your needs and requirements for the safe in a personal consultation and then develop a customised solution in our in-house design department. Contact us without obligation by phone, email or contact form.
We are happy to advise
you personally.
Major final steps
Ordering and assembly
If you want to buy a secure, high-quality safe, you can’t just add it to your shopping basket online and complete the order. In order to guarantee the highest level of security, various factors must be taken into account, which a professional company takes into consideration. In particular, this involves the location of the safe and professional installation by specialised personnel.
Delivery
Safes are usually delivered by the safe manufacturer or a professional partner. Normal dispatch by post is not possible due to the high weight. An exception is furniture safes, which can also be sent directly to the customer or collected via lorry transport.
Assembly
Installing a certified safe can be quite challenging and time-consuming. After all, it is a product that weighs several hundred kilos. A corresponding amount of knowledge, experience and cleverness is required during installation. Depending on where the safe is placed in the house or flat, additional aids such as a crane may be required. To ensure maximum security, the safe is professionally anchored to the floor and back wall at least four times. This makes it impossible for it to be removed in the event of a break-in. Proof that the safe has been professionally anchored is also essential for your insurance.
We are happy to advise
you personally.
Safe for home -
Summary
Unlike other products, a high-quality safe cannot be bought spontaneously at a DIY store or online. The process of buying a safe involves several steps. It is essential to go through these steps to ensure that you end up with an ideal product that you will benefit from for a long time and that you can fully rely on. We provide you with comprehensive advice and are there for you from the initial consultation to planning, installation and beyond.
- The security level, also called resistance level, describes the resistance of safes to burglary. The higher the resistance level, the better a safe protects your valuables. The available resistance classes according to the internationally recognized standard EN 1143–1 range from 2 to 7.
- The different safe models designed and manufactured by WALDIS differ in their resistance level. Each resistance level is also available in various sizes.
- The highest certified resistance level 7 with crown drilling protection is only available from WALDIS Tresore AG. This safe is a Swiss innovation from the company.
- You choose the size of the safe based on the contents you want to keep safe in it. It is better to choose a larger model so that there is enough space in the future if more valuables are added.
- Be sure to buy a safe with a certified security level. This is the only way you can have the contents of the safe additionally insured by your insurance company.
- If you need a safe that is used exclusively for documents or electronic data storage devices, it should be fireproof and offer certified fire protection. The applicable standards are EN 1047–1 and EN 15659.
- In any case, you should definitely buy a safe with an electronic combination lock. In contrast, key safes with double-bit locks offer much lower security and additional risks, which is why we advise against them.
- A furniture safe or wall safe is only suitable for storing smaller valuables. Under no circumstances should you store large amounts of cash or other items of high value in them, as these safes offer only minimal protection against burglary.
- The safe should definitely be professionally anchored to the floor and back wall. If the safe is free-standing, it offers a larger attack surface in the event of a break-in.
Questions about our safes?
We would be happy to advise
you personally.
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