Should You Repair or Replace Your Safe?
Repair a safe when the body is sound and only the lock, battery or bolts have failed. Replace it when a thin box was pried, drilled or burned, and buy the next one rated for what you plan to keep inside.
- Three Systems A safe has the lock, the bolt work and the body.
- Good Safes A rated safe that was drilled can often take a new lock.
- Thin Boxes A cheap box that was pried is rarely worth fixing.
- The Math If repair costs near a better safe, buy the better safe.
Jump To Start With What Failed Before You Buy Another Safe
Start With What Failed
| What Failed | Usual Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Battery or keypad | Repair | A new battery or lock costs far less than a new safe. |
| Forgotten code or lost key | Repair | The safe is opened and the lock is reset or replaced. |
| Jammed bolts | Repair | The bolt work can often be fixed once the safe is open. |
| Heavy rated safe, drilled | Repair | It can be repaired properly and put back in service. |
| Thin box, pried or drilled | Replace | It usually cannot be made sound again. |
| Safe that went through a fire | Replace | It already did its job, so its protection can no longer be trusted. |
Before You Buy Another Safe
- Decide what it must protect, such as paper, cash, guns or hard drives.
- Read both the fire rating and the burglary rating. They are separate tests.
- Look for a label from an independent lab, such as UL or Intertek.
- Plan to bolt it down so it is harder to tip or carry off.
See fire and burglary ratings for what those labels mean.
Questions We Get
Can a safe be fixed after it has been drilled?
A good burglary rated safe that was drilled in a planned spot can usually be repaired and used again. A thin box usually cannot.
Do you handle replacement locks?
Yes. We handle safe lockouts, replacement locks and combination changes across the valley, and you hear the price first.
Where We Go