Does Your Safe Need Help?

Some safes may need a little help if they’re going to do their job!

So maybe you’ve purchased a safe because it was on sale and it seemed like the right decision to make at the time but now that you’ve done a little research, you realize that maybe that safe isn’t as secure as it could be and maybe you’re little concerned about its performance in a fire as well. Don’t worry. You’re not alone. Many people purchase safes based on the manufacturers’ clever marketing, the bells and whistles that are included with the safe, the lifetime warranty, and maybe even the brand name. Many common safe brands produced impressive safes 20 or 30 years ago, but since then they have cut a lot of corners, reduced the thickness of the steel in the door and the body, and generally don’t make the same safe that gained them the good reputation and brand awareness in the first place.

Now to be fair, there are still companies making quality safes that haven’t succumbed to this race to the bottom that seems to be the new norm in the safe industry. You just have to do a lot of research to find them. If you’re game to spend a little time researching, you can do it. My suggestion would be to contact local locksmiths in your area and ask them what safes they think are the best. Safe and vault installers are another source as they usually know what safes weigh the most which generally translates to which safes are better. Safe and vault stores can sometimes help as well but check out their customer reviews and testimonials as many simply want to sell the safe that they make the most money on. If you can afford another safe and have time to do the research then sure, you can sell your old one and buy a better one. On the other hand, if your budget doesn’t allow that and you plan to keep your original safe, then here are some things that you can do to help the safe you have hold its own against theft and fire.

  • Move the safe to an area that’s out of sight -if it isn’t in such a place already. Remember the old saying, “Loose lips sink ships.” if your safe is out in the open and someone sees it, they may talk about it and if the wrong folks hear about it then we may have a problem. If, on the other hand, you’re safe is hidden from view, this would alleviate that problem. Consider building a closet or cabinet around your safe. If it’s in the garage and exposed to view every time you open the bay door, then consider draping a blanket or even a store-bought “safe cloak” over your safe.
  • Anchor your safe. Many people think that the bad guys couldn’t snatch a 400 -800 pound gun safe, but I can assure you that with a dolly, they can take a safe out of a home in short order. If we anchor the safe to the concrete or lag it to your subfloor that provides an extra layer of protection.
  • Consider an alarm system if you don’t have one already or at a minimum a fake camera to help secure your property.
  • Secure your doors with additional locks or at least beef up and replace the screws that hold your latches and door catches in place.
  • Establish rapport with your neighbors and let them know when you’re gonna be out of town so that they can keep an eye on things.
  • Maintain the shrubs and landscaping around your home so that it doesn’t make it easy for someone to creep around at night.
  • Install motion activated floodlights and have good exterior lighting readily available at the flip of a switch.
  • As it relates to fire, keep smaller items like passports, birth certificates, old, family, heirlooms, etc. in a smaller fire-rated safe inside your larger safe.
  • Keep your firearms in cases if possible. Generally speaking, if there is a fire and the safe doesn’t fail completely, safes in cases, or gun sleeves seem to fair a lot better than those that aren’t.
  • If you do experience a fire, time is of the essence! Gain access to the safe as soon as possible after the fire and disassemble your weapons and clean them thoroughly with plenty of oil. The chemicals that are released from the interior of safe are extremely caustic and will significantly damage weapons if left in the safe for even a few days.

If you have the means, and you are considering building a cabinet around safe, consider adding layers of fire rated gypsum board around your safe to further insulate it from fire.

These are just a few things that come to mind that you can do to give your safe a bit of extra help. This list is by no means complete and is only my suggestion but hopefully it’ll help.

5.0
Based on 230 reviews
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Morgan Kitchens
20:38 03 Jun 25
Outstanding sales transaction with Parker Safes. I highly recommend anyone in the market for a safe to give them a call!
Response from the owner 17:31 05 Jun 25
Thank you Morgan. I’m glad we were able to accommodate you even though you were out of state. Thank you for your business and we remain at your service!
Rex Sexton
20:27 03 Jun 25
I highly recommend Parker's Safe and Vaults. Had a safe delivered and they did a great job. Took their time to make sure not only the safe wasn't damaged but that any of personal property wasn't damaged. Very professional and friendly. I would use them for any safe or vault needs in the future.
Response from the owner 17:32 05 Jun 25
Thank you for the kind words sir!
Bernie Boettcher
00:39 13 May 25
I’ll have to say five review is below what I would have given this family owned business. I can’t thank Mr Aaron enough for answering my request to move a gun safe for us. When a man answers a call on vacation he means business . Scheduled the move on time without delay. His sons were absolutely on point , polite , respectful and got the job done ! Safe was leveled as well. Thank you three for a stress free project.
Response from the owner 17:33 05 Jun 25
Well, we’d love to have six stars too but since you can only give us five, I guess we’ll just have to make do. Just kidding! Thank you so much.
Jason Deimerly
16:54 03 May 25
Arron is the best. He took his time in helping me and explaining the process and the different type of vault doors very knowledgeable highly recommend. Outstanding company.
Response from the owner 19:05 05 May 25
Hoping you find the perfect door sir. We remain at your service.
Ashley Carter-Arcano
15:40 28 Apr 25
From the moment we scheduled our cross county move, to delivery in our new home, we were in awe of the ease and excellent communication from the owner and his sons. Thank you for the wonderful moving experience and we will be working with y'all again should we ever need it!
Response from the owner 19:07 05 May 25
I'm so glad that things went smoothly. Thank you for the kind words!
Eric Ow
22:55 05 Mar 25
Great to work with honest and great customer service and prices
Response from the owner 19:30 15 Mar 25
Thank you sir
Thomas Emerson
01:02 28 Feb 25
Excellent experience! These guys are the BEST in the business. THANKS AGAIN
Response from the owner 13:00 03 Mar 25
We're happy to hear about your excellent experience, Thomas! Our team prides itself on being the best in the business, and your feedback strengthens our commitment to quality and trust. We look forward to assisting you again in the future.
Charles Vance
20:33 21 Feb 25
When moving my safe, I had scheduled the other big safe company in Nashville, where I had bought my safe. I decided to call Parker’s Safe just out of curiosity. Parker’s Safe was HALF the price. I had a really tight spot to put the safe, they knew exactly what they were doing. Great communication and excellent service!
Response from the owner 23:18 21 Feb 25
Thank you for taking some time to leave us a review Charles! We try to take care of our customers and maintain fair pricing. Glad everything worked out. My boys told me about how tight that fit was.
Stephen Miller
19:13 13 Feb 25
We were doing research on home safes and came across Aaron Parker and his videos on YouTube. We contacted Aaron and with his help made our decision and ordered a safe. Aaron was able to set us up with a delivery company to have the safe shipped and installed to our house. The entire process was great and we are extremely happy we found Aaron. We highly recommend Parker’s safes if you are in the market or have any questions about safes. You will not get this kind of service at a big box store.
Response from the owner 05:25 17 Feb 25
Thank you for your kind words, Stephen. We're happy Aaron could help you choose and install the ideal safe. Our team prides itself on offering personalized service that sets us apart from big box stores. If you have any further questions or need assistance, we're here to help.
Scott Thomas
01:42 13 Feb 25
Super people and super responsive. Great to work with and took time to explain all our question about vault door install.
Would not use anyone else even if the competition was cheaper.
Highly recommend!!!
Response from the owner 09:45 17 Feb 25
We're pleased that our team's responsiveness and thorough explanations made your vault door installation a positive experience, Scott. Your trust and recommendation mean a lot to us. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, we're here to help.
jenny graham
23:35 14 Sep 24
We purchased a safe from Mr Parker a few years ago. He and his son delivered our safe and did an excellent job. We sold our home recently and purchased a new home. I called Mr. Parker about moving our safe. He said that was no problem and he would do that for us. He set a time and date which his 2 sons came and moved the safe. These young men were most courteous and polite knowing exactly what to do and how to do it. If I were buying another safe today, Parker would be the one I would go to. He is honest and trust worthy.
Daniel Dalton
13:50 11 Sep 24
Mr. Parker went out of his way to help me get what I needed. It was delivered professionally in the time frame promised. I would absolutely do business again with Parker’s safes, however with the quality of my purchase I don’t believe I will ever have to. Thank you Aaron!
Robert Klutts
20:21 05 Sep 24
Great customer service! Contacted them on Labor Day and had a response within an hour or two! Went above and beyond to make sure I knew everything I needed to know about the item and the shipping. They shipped straight to my house. Packaging was excellent to insure there was no damage to be done! 100% recommend!
Jason Gates
17:36 02 Sep 24
I live in Southern California and on a whim, I decided to call Parker Safes to see if I could get some general information. He spent 30 minutes on the phone informing me about safes, security, and security ratings (he also texted me a few links to assist in my decision-making). Even though it’s not economical for him to sell a safe to me this far away, I was impressed with his customer service! He has my highest recommendations for anyone in the Tennessee area looking to purchase a safe. Also, he has great YouTube videos on the different types of safes!
M 6706
02:30 31 Aug 24
I would highly recommend Parker Safe’s and Vaults. Mr. Parker and his son were very professional and friendly. They delivered and installed without any issues or damage to my home. They were very careful and took time to show me how to operate the lock afterwards. Would highly recommend to anyone.
Ricardo Nevarez
17:53 19 Jul 24
Amazing service! I purchased a box store safe and needed delivery and installation. Parker's was recommended and I am truly happy with my experience. Clear communication, on-time, great customer service. I wish I'd known they sold Safes too because I would have rather bought from them, next time for sure! Nonetheless very professional. I appreciate the attention to detail they have. They didn't leave until the safe was leveled and everything was buttoned up. Thank you guys
Yvonne Bensinger
12:58 05 Jul 24
Excellent company to work with. Helped us to get what we were looking for and did a great job installing. We would purchase from them again and highly recommended. Husband is very happy with his safe.
C Lewis
19:25 11 Jun 24
Excellent experience purchasing a USA made safe from this company. They are knowledgeable, professional and nice people! I picked out a safe and they delivered 150 miles away the very next day. Highly recommend.
Brayton Henson
17:28 10 Jun 24
Excellent experience dealing with Parker’s Safes and Vaults. From the moment I stepped into their warehouse in Shelbyville, I felt valued as a person. Aaron, the owner, talked and walked me through the various selection of safes they offered giving me a rundown of each. He didn’t try to sell me on any particular size or model but did walk me through the pros and cons of each safe I considered. Aaron was exactly on time for the delivery and the installation was completed in remarkable time and fashion. The value for the safe I received was outstanding. Great customer service, great safe, and great pricing……all the hallmarks of a great company to do business with!!!
Brandy Parkinson
23:34 06 Jun 24
They did a great job. Very professional and completed it quickly.
Cliff Wiley
21:46 27 Mar 24
The best in the business!

Such amazing communication throughout the process, professional advice, and top notch customer service! Had my mind set on a custom safe, Aaron was able to help me decide which features were best for me and came through with an unbeatable price! Manufacturer delays were out of anyone's control, but he stuck to his original quote despite the delay even though the prices went up. Contacted me as soon as my safe was available and coordinated delivery to my door. Safe arrived just a couple days later even though I live a few states away. Couldn't be more
satisfied with doing business with his company!

Would recommend 10/10!
John Adams
20:22 27 Mar 24
Best in the business! Very detailed and knows what he’s talking about. Do yourself a favor and give them a chance! I bought my safe from Aaron 10+ years ago and didn’t think I needed a new one until…. Another neighbor liked mine so much I got him in contact with Aaron Parker and he sold him a bigger and better one!! Guess it’s time for me to upgrade :-)
I chose to buy from Parker’s Safes because they were knowledgeable and very responsive to any questions that I had. The price was within my budget, and the safe is a higher quality than what I was expecting. The delivery was on time, and I really appreciate the follow ups to make sure everything went well. The customer experience has been fantastic! I’ll be recommending and using them in the future! Thanks Parker’s Safes. You have a great team.

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