Suggestions for Safe placement?

[Kizmit99]

Hi All,
I'll be having a gun safe delivered next week and would be interested in your opinions on where to place it. I was originally planning on putting it in an unfinished space upstairs (2nd floor of a single family home). This is the floor with all of the bedrooms and access to the unfinished space is easy, even though the space is effectively an attic-like, non-conditioned space. I've been reconsidering that though, and now I'm thinking maybe it should go in the basement. The basement is also unfinished, but it is conditioned space. The basement would (obviously) require going downstairs to access the safe contents, but I'm currently thinking it may just make more sense to be down there, rather than in an unconditioned space on the 2nd floor.

Here are my thoughts on pros/cons:

Upstairs:
+quicker access in an "emergency"
-more cumbersome access when just heading to the range
-lots of weight (~600lbs + contents) sitting on the 2nd floor
-In case of fire seems like it would end up in the basement anyway
-securing it would be to a wooden structure
-unconditioned space

Basement:
-effectively no access in case of "emergency"
+would be secured to the concrete floor
+easier access when just heading to the range
+conditioned space

So I guess this really boils down to whether easier access in case of "emergency" (read: home intruder) outweighs the other pros/cons...

Thoughts?
Thanks...

 

[teratos]

I keep mine in the basement. I do have a little something within reach for emergencies.....

 

[BUFF7MM]

Accessing a safe in an emergency is a nogo in my book.

 

[lasher9999]

Accessing a safe in an emergency is a nogo in my book.

I agree. Keep something handy for emergencies and put the safe where burglars are less likely to look for it, heat isnt a major factor, and rain doesn't drip in.

However, if in the basement, consider a room dehumidifier.

 

[Leeann]

Conditioned space, therefore basement.

 

[safecracker]

Bedrooms are the WORST place to put your safe. If your house gets hit, the first place thieves will go is the bedroom because that is where they are most likely to find jewelry, cash and guns. Yeah, wifey may not like heading into the dungeon to get her jewelry for the cotillion....oh well.

Burglars typically avoid basements because they can't see or hear what is happening outside. Most residential burglaries are over in a few minutes. The thieves aren't going to waste any more time than they need to inside your home.

As stated above, accessing your safe in an emergency is a 'no go'. Keep your emergency stash handy....

 

[BeltBuckle]

how heavy is it?

 

[Dave MP]

-lots of weight (~600lbs + contents) sitting on the 2nd floor

 

[engineerbrian]

I think everyone summed it up for you very well.

Stick your safe in the basement and get yourself a small "safe" for emergency use

 

[Mossyoak]

I agree, Basement, keep something close for emergencies

 

[rickyp]

Safe should be in the lowest part of a house! think if the fire fighters that may be operation on the first floor under the safe. it will kill us when it comes touogh the floor.

 

[Kizmit99]

Seems unanimous - basement it is. Thanks for the feedback!

And rickyp - that's a great point. I had considered that in a fire it would likely go through the floor, hadn't considered that there could be a firefighter under it at the time. That would have been a clinching argument for me, if there had been any doubt.

Thanks again all!

 

[davsco]

conditioned vs nonconditioned space shouldn't be an issue. get one of the electric goldenrod things that should keep the air in your safe nice and dry.

if you decide upstairs, you can lay down a couple of sheets of 3/4" plywood to spread out the weight.

and if your safe is really a safe and not a gun cabinet, would hope that whether it's in plain sight or not, bad guys wouldn't be getting in unless they had some serious safecracking equipment.

and i'd suggest, unless you have the safe in your bedroom, that you keep a firearm in your bedroom for things that go bump in the night. of course secured for the benefit of any children.

 

[jmiller320]

Living Room.

 

[Safetech]

Here's a suggestion that I give to my customers...

Once you have your real safe installed, go out to Walmart, Home Depot, Harbor Freight, etc., and buy the cheapest, lightest, crappy import "safe" you can find. Put it where you know it would be FOUND during a burglary. DO NOT bolt it down. (Toss a couple of phonebooks in it.)

If (when) the thieves find the safe, they will think they hit pay dirt!

Since it's locked, but not bolted down, they'll be so interested in getting it someplace (off site) where they can pry it open to get at the "treasure", they'll probably even leave early, with maybe a few other small things, because they "just found a safe!"

Cool idea, hunh?

 

[Huckleberry]

Here's a suggestion that I give to my customers...

Once you have your real safe installed, go out to Walmart, Home Depot, Harbor Freight, etc., and buy the cheapest, lightest, crappy import "safe" you can find. Put it where you know it would be FOUND during a burglary. DO NOT bolt it down. (Toss a couple of phonebooks in it.)

If (when) the thieves find the safe, they will think they hit pay dirt!

Since it's locked, but not bolted down, they'll be so interested in getting it someplace (off site) where they can pry it open to get at the "treasure", they'll probably even leave early, with maybe a few other small things, because they "just found a safe!"

Cool idea, hunh?

Even cooler would be to rig the decoy with exploding dye packs like a bank or at least a paint and smoke bomb to scare the chit out of the burglars.

Shame we couldn't use an IED for a booby trap but I guess we have to respect the rights of the poor criminals.

 

[hvymax]

Even cooler would be to rig the decoy with exploding dye packs like a bank or at least a paint and smoke bomb to scare the chit out of the burglars.

Shame we couldn't use an IED for a booby trap but I guess we have to respect the rights of the poor criminals.

Loose powder in ziplock bags to keep it away from the children could be a rude surprise to anyone cutting or drilling.

 

[Boom Boom]

Definitely the basement. Use a big Goldenrod.

As mentioned, burglars hate hanging around in basements because they can't see or hear what's going on outside. Above ground floors (in houses with basements) are not a good place to concentrate 600lbs+ into a small area. At best, the floor will start to sag.

"In case of fire seems like it would end up in the basement anyway"
Exactly right. It would endanger rescue personnel if there was a house fire and, in the process, could literally cause part of the house to collapse earlier than expected.

"This is the floor with all of the bedrooms and access to the unfinished space is easy, even though the space is effectively an attic-like, non-conditioned space."
Is it empty walk-in attic space above a garage? The ceiling joists (floor joists within the attic space) of most house garages are 24" on center and cannot handle the load of a heavy safe.

Safetech's suggestion about keeping a decoy safe in the bedroom is fantastic.

 

[jeepin13]

Sorry for the hijack but i just got a safe and looked at the goldenrods. How does one plug it in through the safe?

 

[Boom Boom]

Sorry for the hijack but i just got a safe and looked at the goldenrods. How does one plug it in through the safe?

There should be a hole around back near the bottom. The hole might be covered with a rubber plug that pops out.