The question “Can a gun safe be kept in a garage?” evokes never-ending debate. The supporters of the idea believe that a garage is the best place for it. Their opposition says that keeping gun safe in a garage is absolutely a bad idea.
We assume that the truth is somewhere in the middle and the solution to the discussion depends on where the garage is located, whether the safe is hidden there, and how responsible a gun safe owner is. If a garage is in Las Vegas it is unlikely that it will be flooded or suffer from humidity than the one in New Orleans due to the peculiarities of climate. If a safe is hidden, burglars will less likely spot it than in case it is exposed. And if an owner takes all precautions to prevent their firearm and ammo from possible dangers, they will feel all the benefits of keeping gun safe in garage.
Why Install a Gun Safe in the Garage?
Regarding the benefits, let`s elaborate on why a lot of owners opt to store a gun safe in the garage. First of all, space in a house is usually more useful for living or placing furniture than in a garage. A large gun safe requires up to 30 square feet (approx. 2,8 square meters) to be installed which is a significant loss of living space.
Secondly, not all gun safes match the interior design of a room. Moreover, its installation may require bolting which can ruin the floor or walls of the room and consequently its look. Thus, putting a gun safe in a garage allows the owner to avoid the hassle of redecorating or repairing a room.
And lastly, a gun safe installed in garage is less noticeable for guests and visitors with bad intentions who come into your house than the one in the living room.
How to Hide a Gun Safe in Your Garage
However, as a rule, a garage is not as safeguarded as other parts of a home. Some owners have a habit of keeping it open or unlocked when they are at home. The others want to save and don’t connect their garage to home surveillance or security systems. These and many other factors make garages a not so perfect place to keep your gun safe. However these downfalls can be dealt with. You may disguise it as a refrigerator or other piece of furniture, cover it with something, build a cabinet around it, or use many other interesting ideas for hiding a gun safe in your garage.
Can You Put a Gun Safe in an Unheated Garage
Since you have hidden your gun safe in a garage, you may rest assured that robbers will not find and steal your valuables. But don’t relax.
Another concern that you may have is temperature. No matter whether you keep a gun safe in a cold unheated garage or you store it in a hot one, you may face issues. Frequent freeze/thaw variations that occur when the weather changes may produce a considerable amount of condensation.
Garage Gun Safe and Humidity
Condensation is a common cause of a gun safe kept in garage moisture issues. In order to prevent it, an owner should use lots of desiccant, hang several anti-corrosion vapor emitters or install a dehumidifier device. It is also a good idea to buy a hygrometer that measures relative humidity. Checking the content of the safe for mold from time to time, supporting proper humidity level and using moisture prevention methods help avoid damage to your weapons. Without gun safe humidity control in a garage, your ammo may tarnish and discolorate and your firearms become vulnerable to rust and corrosion.
Conclusion
Here we are with the main solution to the never-ending debate. Weighing in the pros and cons of gun safe in a garage, we stand on the side of supporters. How about you? Do you feel that your garage is a secure and appropriate place for a gun safe with your precious weapon? If no, then invest in quality dehumidifier and make all the adjustments to hide your gun safe and you will move to our side.