Fire, flood, or other natural disaster can devastate homeowners.
Even with excellent homeowner’s insurance, there are many items that you can’t replace with a check from an insurance company. This includes personal photos, important documents, and computer files.
Safekeeping, valuable items in a safe, is one of your best options to protect them. It will make you feel more secure in a fire or burglary.
However, humidity levels and the lubrication of the safe’s locking mechanism can significantly impact the safe’s quality and security. Scheduling regular safe maintenance with a locksmith will help ensure that your investment is safe and functional for years to come.
How Frequently Does a Safe Need Maintenance?
It’s probably a good idea to schedule safe maintenance every two years if your safe sees a lot of use, such as daily opening. If you don’t use your safe frequently, you might be able to go five or more years between maintenance inspections.
Here are tell-tale signs that you need safe maintenance:
- The safe is not closing or opening anymore.
- It is not easy to open the lock on your first attempt.
- The lock assembly seems loose.
- The combination of the safe alters over time.
- When entering the combination, the safe makes strange noises.
- The combination dial is rigid, misaligned, or unsteady or reverts back in the opposite direction.
- The doors are difficult to open or close due to their rigidity.
Ways to Keep Your Safe In Good Condition
1. Keep an eye out for moisture.
Depending on the safe, you may notice a musty odor and moisture build-up if you open it for the first time in several weeks or months. Sometimes, this can cause water or moisture damage to the items inside. Remember that due to their fireproof and waterproof construction, they can provide the ideal environment for absorbing moisture inside the safe. To help prevent this from happening, plan to air out your safe at least biweekly for at least 20 minutes each time.
2. Lubricate the locking mechanism.
A stuck safe that refuses to open even when the correct code is entered is troublesome. These occurrences typically occur at the most inconvenient times, such as when you need your firearm, during an emergency evacuation, or urgent business documents.
To keep residential safes and commercial safe and locks opening smoothly, apply a small amount of the grease suggested by the manufacturer to the bottom and front sides of the bolts to keep them operating smoothly. This prevents the locks from getting stuck or jammed. Although this safe maintenance is relatively straightforward, you may want to hire an expert safe locksmith to handle the yearly safe repair maintenance.
3. Change the batteries.
Your safe may require batteries for it to work. Make sure you have the suitable batteries, as the manual indicates. All batteries should be replaced annually and at the exact moment.
4. Clean your safe regularly.
Always ensure that your hands are clean and dry before touching the safe. Use a gentle cleaner to wipe down the surface of your safe and avoid using harsh products, particularly when wiping the keyboard.
5. Do annual inspections.
Safe maintenance includes annual inspections, including checking springs and locking hinges for proper functioning. Technicians also check that the door closes smoothly to avoid emergencies when it is necessary. Moreover, they can inspect all security checkpoints, including biometrics, alarms, access cards and any digital logs of who opened the safe and when.
Things to Avoid Doing to Your Safe
If you want to do safe maintenance yourself, there are some things to be prevented from doing.
- Spraying anything in a combination lock should be avoided. If there is resistance, tight turning, or you are having trouble getting the lock to turn, don’t spray WD-40 or other lubricants into it. Doing this may lead to more severe problems.
- It’s not a good idea to relock a safe if it’s challenging to open. Ideally, you’ll want to access your important documents and firearms easily. Remember that the last thing you want to happen is to lock a safe that you aren’t sure will open again.
Why is Routine Safe Maintenance Worth It
Many factors can influence the quality and security of your safe. Routine maintenance is a must to protect your investment. Here are some of the many benefits of regular, safe maintenance for your residential safes and commercial safe and lock.
Prevents accessibility concerns
Routine upkeep reduces the risk of these kinds of accessibility issues. During the process, technicians will disassemble the unit’s parts, clean and lubricate components, replace damaged mechanisms, and reassemble the lock to ensure it works properly and protects your belongings.
Money saving
Investing in routine maintenance will help you save money in the long run. A well-maintained safe is less likely to malfunction, so you won’t need to hire a locksmith to crack it open and pay for more expensive replacement parts, installation, and safe repair services.
Remedies and prevent security breaches
People might gain unauthorized access to safes by dropping a digit or accidentally resetting the factory settings. This can pose a risk to the security of your belongings. Notably, professionals can realign the combination to the numbers on the dial to prevent these problems. This ensures that the combination is not lost and does not compromise safety security. If there has been a security breach, or you want to prevent one, a technician will reset the combination and provide the necessary, safe repair.
Key Takeaway
It is essential to keep your locks in good condition. You will save yourself a lot of stress, as well as money. Thieves can gain access to your home if you have locks that are damaged. Make sure to entrust your safe maintenance to a reliable locksmith company that can provide the best safe repair services. This way, you can be confident about your home and your property’s safety.
Let Alpine Lock and Safe Ensure the Your Safe’s Maintenance
To ensure the continued safety and security of your precious belongings, guns, and pertinent documents, let our Avon locksmith conduct your regular safe maintenance. With our years of expertise, you’ll be assured that your mechanical safe are in capable hands. Call us now to experience the satisfaction.
