safe in the garage any body do it?

[mms]

So a little back story. I have a safe already but im overloaded so its time to get another one. I found one made by Johnson safe (great buy btw) . the problem is the size I want is really not practical to put any where beside in the garage. Now normally I’m not a big fan of this….. I have a few friends that have done this and they have to keep a really really close eye on the moister one friend even had some rust take hold of a couple of his guns.

Does anyone keep their safe in the garage if so what do you do for moister control?????

I have always used the Remington silicon that you plug into the wall to recharge. But I don’t think that would be enough for this. will a golden rod be enough to keep my toys rust free?? Maybe a combo of the 2. Any way looking for suggestions and or comments that It can be done.

If not I guess ill have to get a smaller safe

thanks

 

[kwatters]

I am debating this as well, the Goldenrod is supposed to handle it.

 

[mms]

yea both my friends just use silcon and have to litteraly check once a week and recharge

im hoping we get some real world experance answeres about the golden rod

 

[4sarge]

I considered it But thought my Rust concerns outweighed placing it in the house. Too many chances for failure if you live in Indiana - I have that safe and it went into the Family Room. Johnson Safes are a thing of Beauty.

 

[03A3]

What is needed to keep rust and mold away depends on the garage.
You need a tight building with good doors that have good, tight seals.
Guttering makes a difference too. You want to get as much water away from the garage as possible. Extend the downspouts across the ground a few feet to dump the water away from the footing. Cement seems to wick moisture.
Go to Lowes ect and buy the biggest dehumidifier they have. Ideally you can hook a garden hose to the dehumidifier drain connection and then run the hose to a garage floor drain.
The garages with safes that I'm familiar with are fully insulated, including the doors, fully finished and have an attic fan. They are also heated 24/7 in the late Fall/Winter/early Spring.
50% to 55% humidity will keep everything plenty dry. I wouldn't really want it any drier than that. I'm not a humidity expert, but I've read several times that too dry is not good for wood ect.

 

[03A3]

A large dehumidifier will get the job done real well provided the building is tight. Otherwise it will run constantly.
Goldenrods are in use at the same time. This is more of safeguard in case the dehumidifier were to break down.
These garages have their own heat. In the Winter the dehumidifiers run very little.
This works very well.

 

[Denny347]

Here is my set up. It has been in the garage for the last 6-7 years.

It is an insulated garage but it I do not AC in the summer. I do have a small heater in there for the winter that keeps the garage around 50 degrees even in the coldest weather. My safe is a Browning and it comes VERY well insulated for fire. As a result, the interior temps do not fluctuate much. I have a Golden Rod at the bottom and all it does is keep the air moving so condensation does not form...causing rust. Inside the safe the temp will go from 55 degrees in the winter to 80-90 degrees in the summer but it hold rock solid at 50% humidity. I do have the safe sitting on a rubber mat to it does not sit directly on the concrete. No rust issues to speak of.

 

[mrortega]

Another consideration for using the garage is that if your safe is in your house and you have a basement (like both of mine) and you have a fire where the house is destroyed I've always thought that once the floors collapsed into the basement the safes would sit in the rubble and cook for a day or so thereby negating any fire rating. If you have a wing or a home without a basement once the house burns away I think there is a better chance that the contents would have less damage.

 

[mms]

Here is my set up. It has been in the garage for the last 6-7 years.

It is an insulated garage but it I do not AC in the summer. I do have a small heater in there for the winter that keeps the garage around 50 degrees even in the coldest weather. My safe is a Browning and it comes VERY well insulated for fire. As a result, the interior temps do not fluctuate much. I have a Golden Rod at the bottom and all it does is keep the air moving so condensation does not form...causing rust. Inside the safe the temp will go from 55 degrees in the winter to 80-90 degrees in the summer but it hold rock solid at 50% humidity. I do have the safe sitting on a rubber mat to it does not sit directly on the concrete. No rust issues to speak of.

nice set up that is similar to what considering doing once i make up my mind about the garage part

 

[phylodog]

I have a relatively cheap Canon safe and it's been in my garage for six years now. The garage is insulated but not climate controlled so if it's hot/humid outside, it's hot/humid in the garage. I have a Golden Rod and a couple big desiccant packs I picked up at a surplus store and have never had a problem.

 

[rockhopper46038]

My concern with a garage safe is that it would be relatively ease to loop some chains around it and pull it off its mounts using a truck. Then up and in the bed, and away you go. On the other hand, it is easier to deliver to a garage.

 

[mikerccie]

My garage is reasonably temp controlled (it's in the middle of the condo structure) and I use a Goldenrod and a couple of the chemical dry-packs that I bake off every few months.

 

[snapping turtle]

I prefer the garage to the basement. I have seen lots of ruined guns in the past. Most were from wet/flooded basements and floods, A few to fire, One to a wet day and a week in the trunk afterwards. but never a garage safe. Do you keep hardened steel tools in the garage already? How do they hold up. Should tell you right there.

I told the wife the I was cutting off half of the living room for a man cave and I would just buy safes for the walls. I could do 3 real big ones like the liberty fat boy.

 

[brokenbutnotdead]

My buddy keeps his out in the garage and he has had many issues with rust which is mostly his fault. If you do your part you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[mrclean]

Im into radios and have my shack in the attached garage. The wife hates it but in the summer I put a small window air conditioner in it. If its really hot it will get in the high 70s if its like 100 out but humidity stays pretty low. 5000 btu is all the bigger it is, In the winter I use one of these.

Dayton G73 Electric Garage Heater with Built-In Thermostat

I keep it about 55 or so when im not out there and 70 or so when I am. Takes a 220 volt 30 amp service. Doesnt raise my bill much and nice to have a confortable place for doing projects out there year round.

 

[Bflo]

My concern with a garage safe is that it would be relatively ease to loop some chains around it and pull it off its mounts using a truck. Then up and in the bed, and away you go. On the other hand, it is easier to deliver to a garage.

This would be my main concern as well.
My father, who lives in Florida, keeps his safe in the garage. He has a goldenrod and the garage is insulated but no AC. He has never had a problem.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

Bradis has dehumidifyer rods (like a goldenrod) for under 20.00.

 

[abnk]

You'd likely be OK with a Golden Rod. My main concern would be that anyone with an appliance dolly or pallet jack and a pick up truck can take your safe with everything in it.

 

[mms]

if i go this route it will be anchored to the cement foor

 

[latigo]

That is where I have mine. My garage is heated and A/C. I put a piece of fiber board under it cut to the size of the safe (the stuff they use on shower walls before tile) to prevent moisture from the concrete floor. I also have a golden rod in it. No moisture problems at all. It is bolted to the floor and wall.