It’s no secret that the world is changing. We are more aware than ever before of threats both large and small, from hacking to a break-in on our property. These risks are something that business owners need to take seriously in order to protect their investments and ensure they’re operating as efficiently as possible.

A commercial safe is the perfect solution for both small and large businesses alike because it offers more than just security. In fact, it can be the difference between having a successful business and being robbed blind. Read on for our guide to choosing the perfect commercial safe!

What is a Commercial Safe and Why do I Need One?

Commercial safes are really just a larger version of the standard home safe. Because most businesses have more to protect, they come in bigger sizes and offer extra security features. For example, while traditional safes usually require a four-digit code, commercial safes usually require at least a six-figure code as well as an additional lock that requires a key.

Commercial safes are effective for the following reasons:

They’re a deterrent

We all know that criminals are more likely to choose an easy target, so if they see that your business has invested in commercial-grade security, they’re going to look elsewhere. In addition, commercial safes come with physical and digital defenses, making thieves think twice before getting into your safe.

They’re a buffer against theft

Not every business is going to have on-site employees, and when you do have them, they’re not always the most trustworthy. This means that even if someone does manage to break in or gain unauthorized access in another way, there’s still a layer of protection between them and the things that matter most.

They contain backup options

Many commercial safes come with a method of recovering your combination in case of an emergency. In addition, some have digital backup options where users can access their codes from anywhere. Even better, some have both! You never know when something is going to happen, and having the ability to send out new codes remotely can save you a lot of heartache (and money) in the long run.

Tips for Choosing the Right Type of Safe for Your Business

There are many types of safes out there, and you’ll need to know which one is going to be most effective for your business. Here are some tips:

• Know what type of business you have and how much cash is typically on hand
• Determine your needs – for example, do you need to protect firearms or valuables from fires and floods
• Look at the size of the safe – will it fit in the location where you want to put it
• Consider a fireproof safe if you’re looking to protect paper documents that can’t be replaced
• Think about whether or not an electronic lock would work best for your situation 
• Determine if a combination lock is right for your needs or if biometric locks might suit better
• Consider how much weight you need to store in your safe
• Read reviews on various safes before making a purchase decision 

Our Top Picks

Here are some of our top picks when it comes to commercial safes:

Amsec Commercial Series

Amsec offers a range of safes perfect for businesses that need to keep their valuables safe from fire and water damage. They’re secured with 120-minute fire ratings and have thick walls that can withstand even a blast. Some notable models include the Amsec CSC1413 and Amsec CSC4520.

Perma-Vault Drop Box Series

You can keep your money safe and sound with the Perma-Vault depository safes. Place these near your cash register for easy access to all of that hard-earned dough while also limiting how much you have in front of you at one time. This is important if it’s just not practical to lug around a huge amount – especially when there are potential thieves out there looking for an opportunity! Some notable models include PRO35-12 and PRO35.

Original Security Commercial Series

Original security offers a range of sizes and configurations so you can find what best fits your business needs. These safes offer 90-minute fire protection and come with solid steel deadbolts and heavy-duty chrome-plated steel locking bolts that help deter theft. They also have glass relocking devices to ensure the door is locked in case of an attempted break-in. Some notable models include OFB1413 and OFB2513.

Final Thoughts

Criminals are always looking for the easiest target, but you’ll be able to deter them from trying when you step up your game with a commercial-grade safe. These come with multiple layers of security so that not only can thieves see they’re a hard target to break into, they won’t even know what’s inside!

In addition, many of these safes can store valuable information that can be accessed remotely if you ever need to change a combination or reset all the codes. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, so make sure you look at your budget and needs before deciding on the right safe for you!

Get in touch with King Safe and Lock today for all of your safe and lock needs. We are dedicated to providing you with all the information you need on your commercial safes so that you can make confident decisions in buying what’s right for your business!

Gun Sales are Increasing

It is a known fact that the number of homes with firearms in them has risen significantly in recent years. While the need for people to protect themselves and their loved ones has gone up, so has the need for a secure and reliable way to store them. Safes for long gun storage are necessary to ensure your family’s safety, as well as comfortability and ease of access.  Therefore, a safe is not only important when storing valuables but also when storing your firearm collection.

The article will explain what to look for when buying your next safe, and also profile seven of our top AMSEC safes, and their features, so you can find the best one for you!

When looking for a safe, there are a number of things to keep in mind. You’ll want to look for something that is solid, strong, and built to last. Identifying a safe’s structural quality will help you determine the burglary rating, while looking at ETL certifications will help you choose the level of fire-protection you desire. Below are our top picks for housing your long guns.

AMSEC BF6032

This safe’s 1/2-inch solid steel plate door protects against burglary and fires, while its high gloss paint or textured options are perfect for those who want to hide in style.

Its ETL certification offers 120 minutes of protection against fire at 1850 degrees Fahrenheit, whilst it also provides authenticity with a UL-certified RSC burglary rating. Available in white color, this product is made in the USA and comes with a lifetime warranty that ensures you can enjoy peace of mind (and safety!) for life without having to break your bank!

AMSEC BF6024

This gun safe is the world’s most unique and strong! It provides up to 3/8″ of steel protection behind an RSC burglary rating. The lifetime warranty will protect your investment for many years. If you need something even more secure, then this AMSEC fireproof gun safe is perfect for you with ETL-certified 120-minute fire protection as well as a high gloss or textured paint option!

This safe also happens to be the best-selling home safe in America, a secret we just couldn’t keep to ourselves. 

AMSEC FV6036E5

This lifetime warrantied safe is fire-tested to 1200°F and has an active locking bolt on three sides of the door. It includes a professional door organizer for storing guns, long guns, and accessories with universal spacers to make room for smaller handguns.

The electrical access hole can also double as a cutout for bolting down furnishings or mounting racks/rack sides if you’re into that kind of thing. And with its extra-thick steel body and solid 8-gauge steel doors, it’s not easy getting through this without hours of sawing.

AMSEC TF5924

If you’re looking for an economical option to protect your guns, the TF handgun safe by American Security is the way to go. With a 3/16″ steel plate door and filled with drywall, this gun safe protects against burglary attacks from thieves.

Don’t let fire damage destroy your valuables with up to 30 minutes of protection in this fire-resistant powder-coated steel cabinet that has drywall and U.L.-listed E lock with an illuminated keypad for reliable security any time of day or night! This product comes black textured paint finish and offers a lifetime warranty against theft and fire destruction means as long as you own it, it’s still covered even if something happens down the line.

AMSEC SF5924

If you’ve been looking for a secure place to store your guns- whether part of firearms education, self-defense, or as collector items- then look no further! The American Security SF Gun Safe is the perfect solution. Its steel doors are 1/4 inches thick and have an RSC burglary rating in just under 7 minutes on the drill (tested to UL standard TL 36).

It also has a 90-minute fire protection certification with 3 layers of drywall inside. There are many options, too: you can order this safe in gloss paint or textured paint and with a high gloss finish or textured surface. You also get a lifetime warranty against theft and fire when ordering an SF gun safe.

AMSEC FV7240E5

You can start the day knowing that your guns are protected from fire, burglary, and vandalism with this durable safe. The FV7240E5 offers 47 different gun holes for all of your needs, plus an electrical access hole and pre-drilled bolt holes to anchor it in place safely.

This model is also heat tested at 1200 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes while interior temperatures remain under 350 degrees Fahrenheit thanks to a Heat Expanding Intumescent seal on the door, which helps block out smoke and water during a fire or other disaster. All AMSEC products come standard with warranty coverage against most unforeseen disasters.

AMSEC SF6036

The AMSEC SF6036 is a versatile, compact safe that offers a great compromise between size and storage space–ideal for those looking to protect just enough from burglars. In addition, the fire protection offered by these safes has been proven in stringent tests as well- over 75% of homes experience near total damage to the interior during fires.

We’re confident this will keep your guns safely hidden away! The safe also features a covered locking bolt hole pattern which will prevent someone outside of an authorized key holder from breaking in while eying valuable targets. For our paint colors, we offer customers high gloss or textured finishes of their choice.

Let King Safe and Lock Help

If you’re looking for a safe that can store long guns, AMSEC safes are the best choice. Their options are so vast that it’s easy to find the perfect safe for your wants, without compromising any of your needs. We carry a wide range of sizes and models from small to large, so there is  always something perfect for you. 

Our safe experts are always on hand with advice about protecting your firearms. King Safe and Lock has been in business for 50 years, and we promise to provide the highest level of education and care. Contact us today, or visit our Houston-area showroom with over 300 safes in stock!

As you start to look into buying a safe, you’re going to come across a lot of acronyms and ratings that might not mean anything to you. Things can start to get a tad confusing, so we’d like to break some of that down for you.

The key elements for home safes, office safes, and gun safes are fire protection, water protection, and burglary protection. We’re going to show you what to look for in each category.

With a keen understanding of what you’re trying to protect yourself against, you’ll be able to pursue the right safe.

Fire Rating

House fires can exceed temperatures of 1,000 degrees in a matter of minutes. So, your safe certainly needs to withstand these high heats, at a minimum.

The first thing you want to see is that the safe is ETL-verified. That means they’ve survived rigorous testing in a laboratory and can stand up to some pretty difficult elements.

You’ll also want to see that the safe has a heat test rating of 60 minutes or more and can withstand temperatures up to 1,200 degrees.

AMSEC safes dominate the market, and for good reason. AMSEC is short for American Security Products and they’re proudly made in the U.S.A. They have a full range of one-hour fire office safes that are intended to protect your important documents and heirlooms.

You’ll also find they often come with backlit electronic lock displays, so you can access your belongings, even in a blackout. These are important features to look for when researching home safes.

 

Security

Fire and security are, of course, the primary reasons people buy home safes. They need to be secure, with the ability to withstand extreme conditions.

When examining a safe, start with the door. Look for electronic locks, bolting locks, and reinforced layers of steel.

Along with an ETL certificate, another good sign is a nod from Underwriters Laboratories. Here’s another example: safes from Original Safe & Vault, Inc. are proven to withstand attacks from sledgehammers, power saws, disc cutters, drills, and more.

As such, Underwriters Laboratories gave them a TL-30×6 label, which is quite an achievement. If you look at their 6422 TL-30×6 model, you’ll see impressive fire and security features.

First, it boasts a two-hour fire rating, withstanding temperatures as high as 1,850 degrees Fahrenheit. As for safety, all sides of the safe are protected by manganese plating and a cement/composite mixture that’s nearly impossible to penetrate.

When you inspect the door, you’ll notice it’s nearly seven inches thick with inch-and-a-half steel bolts on all sides of the door.

Locking Mechanism

Home safes typically come with four different lock options: biometric, electronic, mechanical, and key. Biometric and electronic locks require power. Typically, they’re battery-powered and they’re quite long-lasting.

Since batteries do, indeed, die, you’ll want to see some sort of backup option. Another prominent brand is Jewel Safes. Their JST-1600 model, for example, comes with an electronic keypad lock, external batteries, and two keypad lockout keys.

Waterproofing

We’ve discussed fire and assaults; now, we need to discuss water. Different safes have different strengths. As we saw, some are fire-rated for an hour, some for two hours. That’s ideal for someone who lives in an area prone to wildfires.

Some come with a stamp of approval from Underwriters Laboratories so they can withstand criminal attacks. That’s ideal for someone who lives in an area with high crime.

But, what if you live in an area that’s prone to hurricanes? Then, you’ll want to move the magnifying glass to waterproofing ratings. With fire, safes are rated according to temperature. With water, safes are rated according to depth.

This is pretty straightforward. A safe that’s rated for 12 inches of water for 72 hours, for example, will protect your belongings for that amount of depth and time. If you live in an area prone to flooding, you’ll certainly want to keep your eye on that.

Guns vs. Documents vs. Jewelry

While it’s important to consider what you’re guarding against, it’s also important to consider what you’re protecting. Let’s talk guns vs. documents.

Although it might make sense to consolidate, you actually don’t want to store your guns and documents in the same safe. A safe that’s designed for important documents works well because it maintains low levels of moisture within the safe.

However, that’s the exact opposite of what you want in a gun safe. Gun safes don’t allow humidity to creep in because that will rust the gun.

Those that have expensive jewels to protect often opt for high-security safes. AMSEC, for example, has a high-security jewelry series. It’s called their AMVAULT series and it’s perfect for keeping those high-valued items safe.

You’ll note features like six-inch doors with three-inch defense barriers. There are key-changeable combination locks that are protected by drill-shattering hard plates and spring-loaded devices. The door frames are also drill-resistant, protecting the doors and the bolt chambers.

Best Tips for Buying a Safe

We won’t overwhelm you. So, we’ll stop there. As a foundation, these are the best tips for buying a safe. Whether it’s for your office, home, or even your jewelry store, these tips will help you hone in on the right product.

Armed with this information, we invite you to give us a call or stop by our Houston showroom.

Here at King Safe and Lock™, we have over 400 safes in stock. We guarantee we’ll have something to fit your budget and needs.

Don’t worry about transportation or installation, either. We’ll happily deliver and install your new high-security safe.

Whether you’re looking for something to slip into the closet, or install in the wall or floor, we’re here for you. Give us a call at (713) 465-0055 and we’ll get you protected.

In the world of saving money and “DIYs,” sometimes it really can feel like we can do it all! Like we can figure out how to do anything, as long as we google It first. However, there are some things we really should leave to the professionals. That being said, here’s why you should always hire a professional to move your safe.

How Much Do Safes Really Weigh?

So how heavy can it *really* be? Well, good question. Safes can drastically range in size and weight. So while you may be able to pick up that 40-50 pounds hotel jewelry safe, large stand-alone gun safes are another story. Entry level safes can typical weigh between 200-600 pounds. High end safes can range from 1000-1600 pounds, and commercial safes can even push the 2000-5000 pound mark!

What Could Go Wrong?

So while it may seem obvious to let a professional move the big one, you may be thinking that you an easily handle the 200 pound one. Right? What could go wrong? Well, quite a lot actually. You could easily cause damage to the safe, or to the walls around it. If a safe isn’t properly set and anchored, it can even fall through the floor. The last thing you would want to have to deal with in your brand, new home is a giant hole in the floor. It could be dropped down the stairs, and cause damage on the way down. And what about you? A 200 pound safe could make a lot of damage if you were to be the thing to stop the fall. The average ankle sprain costs just shy of $1000 out of pocket, and that could just be the tip of the iceberg. On top of all of this, you may not even have a vehicle that can properly transport a safe.

You may also be under-estimating just how challenging it is to move a safe properly. Even just a couple hundred pound safe can be incredibly difficult and dangerous when factoring in stairs. Just up, or just down, one flight of stairs can be very tricky, and near impossible, without the proper training and equipment.

The financial burden of damage, or injury, will far surpass the cost to hire a professional safe mover. The rewards simply do not outweigh the risks. 

Who Can Help Me?

Kings Safe and Lock has been proudly serving Houston since 1972. That has given us almost 50 years of experience, which is invaluable when choosing a company for your move. All of our technicians are trained, bonded and insured, which gives you the peace of mind that your valuables will remain safe. Our technicians are also trained to be able to anchor your safe to its new location. This process will anchor your safe with 2000 pounds of bolt-down pressure, which means it is staying put.

At Kings Safe and Lock, we pride ourselves in the ability to move any safe, no matter the size or weight. We will work with you in coming up with the best plan to move your safe, no matter how complicated it may seem. Some of the most common requests that we receive are:

Covert nighttime deliveries: Sometimes the best way to protect your valuables is to make sure that no one sees you moving them. We can help make this happen.

Same-building relocations: Even if you just need to move your safe from one room to another, you should rely on professional help to protect both you and your safe.

Weekend deliveries: Sometimes you’re too busy during the week to deal with moving a safe. That’s why our safe moving services are available on weekends too.

Upstairs moves: No matter how narrow or curvy your stairs, we can safely move your safe up or down them.

These are just a few examples of the services we offer when it comes to moving your safe. Our technicians are trained to manage even the trickiest of stairs. We have all of the proper and necessary equipment to transport your safe to make sure nothing is damaged in transit. Even if you’re moving out of Houston, we can help! Give us a call at (713) 543-8244 where we can give you an out-of-town estimate. Whether you’re moving to, or away from, Houston, we can help make sure your safe is moved properly. We proudly move safes throughout the entire state of Texas.

Whether it’s moving across the hall, or across the state, moving is stressful. Let us take some of that stress away and help you move your safe properly. We offer complimentary and risk-free estimates, so give Kings Safe and Lock a call at (713) 543-8244, and let us come up with the best, and safest, way to get you moved!

For decades, AMSEC gun safes have demonstrated their prowess in protecting valuables from burglary and fire.  American Security (AMSEC) has been in the business of security since the late 1940s, when founder Glenn Hall converted a small building in Paramount, California into a dedicated workshop. Continue reading “Why Buy An AMSEC Gun Safe” →

Today’s safes are made to protect nearly anything – documents, valuables, weapons, money, and more. They’ve come a long way from the “iron chests” of the pre-1800s, evolving into the impressive safes of today.

Early Safes/h3>

The earliest lockboxes were made of wood in the 1700s, and while their bolts and locking mechanisms were fairly secure for their day, thieves had little difficulty prying them open.
Safe construction improved when cast iron was used in the late 18th century, and the lock itself became the weakest component of this new strongbox.

Fire-Proofing and Lock Innovation

In the early 1800s, there were several different patents on ways to make safes impervious to flame, resulting in competition amongst inventors -and the creation of the first fire safes.
In 1818, a “detector lock” was invented with the intention that it would not open if someone attempted to pick it. Egyptian pin-tumbler designs were adopted by a father and son and became the common design seen today.

20th-Century Steel and Today

A single piece of steel was used to make safes in the 1900s, and safecrackers and robbers used explosives to open them. Anti-explosive technology improved, and a safe from the 40s survived the Hiroshima atomic blast from a distance of less than 1,000 feet.
Today’s safes feature complex locks, drill- and torch-proof construction, and often have layers of concrete sandwiched between steel.
Fire safes incorporate materials that help the contents resist extremely high temperatures for up to an hour in residential applications, and gun safes keep firearms protected from both tampering and theft.

King Safe & Lock is a premier Houston locksmith specializing in fine safes that are designed to guard your valuables. Our fire and gun safes come in many varieties to best suit your protective requirements. Contact us for all of your safe needs!