While safe boxes and vaults share the same purpose of keeping your valuables safe, they are actually two very different security means that come with their own properties. A vault is a room or compartment used for safekeeping whereas a safe box is a secure container that stores valuables at a bank or credit union. Homeowners may have misconceptions or concerns about installing either one in their house. Therefore, this article will deep-dive into those “myths” and debunk them once and for all.
Misconception 1: A vault or a safe box is only for wealthy people
When vaults and safe boxes come to mind, they are often associated with stashing stacks of cash. While most may assume that safe boxes and vaults are pointless unless the individual possesses wealth, that is simply not true. Beyond safeguarding money, safe boxes and vaults can store a variety of items as well that are not associated with high monetary value.
A list of items to keep in a vault room:
- Money
- High-confidential records
- Legal documents
Some items that can be kept in a safe deposit box:
- Family heirlooms
- Copies of wills
- Original birth certificates
- Marriage certifications
- Valuable jewellery, collectibles
- Important business papers, records, and contracts
Misconception 2: A vault will take up a lot of space
A vault is usually designed with thick concrete walls and a sturdy vault door. This creates the misconception that all vaults are built to be significantly large to store your valuables, thus, occupying much space. Contrarily, the effectiveness of a vault is not determined by the size, but instead, your needs and preferences. Unlike a banker’s safe designed for small businesses and homes to safeguard valuable property and important documents, a vault can also serve as a last resort against natural disasters.
Misconception 3: Vaults and safes are the same
Vaults and safes may sound similar but they are different in nature. Technically, a vault is a type of safe, but a safe isn’t necessarily a vault. Safes are moveable and completely freestanding, while a vault is commonly installed in a building. Learn the following aspects that differentiate vaults and safes:
- Security
Both vaults and safes come with their own security mechanism. In general, vaults are equipped with additional building security, while safes come with locks to protect the stored items from fire and theft.
- Things to safeguard
Items to be stored in a vault room and safe box may be different. Safe boxes can be used to keep hard-to-replace documents, small collectibles and family heirlooms. A vault is usually deployed to safeguard business-critical documents and proper file organisation within a firm or a business.
- Ease of access
Vaults prevent unauthorised users from gaining access to trade secrets and other highly-confidential data through encryption. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) may be required for authentication. Meanwhile, safe boxes are generally accessed by a set of PIN codes.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBqZJLEAJtc
Misconception 4. Safe boxes are all the same
There are different types of safe boxes available in the market, ranging from those for homes, banks to hotels. To be specific, each type of safe box protects your valuable assets under different situations.
- Jewellery safes
As its name implies, jewellery safes are designed to protect and organise your valuable jewellery. The colour, lustre and condition of your jewellery can be maintained.
- Fire safes
This type of safe secures your valuable property in case of a fire. It features a fire-resistant design. Memorable items, important documents and other high-value things are often stored in fire safes.
- Burglary safes
There are also safes designed for protection against theft and these are called burglary safes. Majority are equipped with tamper-proof technology and higher levels of security. These include keypad, fingerprint and other entry methods.
With a better understanding of vaults and safe boxes, we hope you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to deciding between installing a vault room or a safe box. All in all, taking your preferences and needs into account is key when it comes to your final selection..
Falcon Safe is a supplier of safety deposit boxes, safe boxes and other quality security products. We aim to safeguard your assets in unforeseen circumstances. Contact us now to get a quotation for our service!
