A gun safe can go upstairs if you consider the weight of the safe and how much guns & ammo will add. Next, where it will go, which room it will be over, and any location risks. Finally, will you need structural support or modifications to the walls, floors or closets on the second floor?
What to Consider
Storing your gun safe on the second floor can come with a few benefits. Keeping your guns in your bedroom adds another layer of security between your weapons and children or any nosy visitors. In addition, storing them on the second floor and far out of sight will make any potential thieves less likely to steal them, especially if your safe of choice is on the heavier side.
With that in mind, storing your gun safe on the second floor can also be a bit of a hassle. It may be best to simply keep it somewhere else in some situations, but that might not be an option if you live in an apartment. Fortunately, depending on your situation, there are plenty of ways to work around these potential issues.
The Weight of Your Gun Safe
Gun safes can weigh up to half a ton. Storing a heavy piece of furniture on the second floor of a hundred-year-old house might seem risky, but it’s important to remember that your home was built to bear thousands of pounds of weight.
If your gun safe is on the lighter side, most of these issues will not apply to your situation. Not only do smaller ones run cheaper, but you might not even need to hire a moving company to haul them up the stairs for you. If feasible, consider investing in a smaller gun safe to eliminate some of these concerns and save yourself some money.
However, for some people, a heavy gun safe is simply too good to pass up. While it can lead to a bit more investment and require some additional arrangements, it can be worth the effort.
The Room Underneath
You will want to be aware of the room that is directly underneath your gun safe. In the event of a fire, this can lead to disaster. The heat from the fire will weaken the floor overhead. If this happens to be the floor where you store your gun safe, it could come crashing down into the room below.
To ensure that this won’t happen, be aware of which rooms are most prone to fires. Kitchens and laundry rooms are where most house fires begin. Even if you practice fire safety and believe this won’t happen, accidents can happen to even the most diligent people. Therefore, if your bedroom is directly above one of these rooms, it would be wise to consider moving your safe elsewhere.
Its Placement in the Room
Try to understand the strength of the floors in your room. Certain areas are weaker than others in older houses, so you will want to rule these out beforehand.
You will also want to find a place where your guns will be secure but easy to access in an emergency. Storing guns in your bedroom can be an easy way to ensure that they are accessible in the case of a break-in.
Try not to place your gun safe too close to other heavy furniture. You will want to keep the weight in the room well-balanced.
How to Store Your Gun Safe
Once you have determined the ideal place to store your gun safe, you will need to make some arrangements in preparation regardless of where that may be.
Second Floor
If you have your mindset on storing your gun on the second floor, you will definitely want to have a professional move it for you, especially if it’s on the heavier side. Some insurances will cover the costs of the moving company.
You will want to decide for sure where you want your gun safe before you have the professionals move it because once it has been placed, you will not be able to move it again on your own.
Even if you’ve ensured that the floors of your designated room are strong enough to bear your gun safe, you can also take extra steps to ensure maximum safety. If you live in a house rather than an apartment, you can install support beams in the room below.
Promoting fire safety is necessary regardless of the household, but this goes even more when gun safes are involved. If you have children who go in the room underneath, make sure they know fire safety precautions. Be sure to keep an eye on all wires and electronics, especially older ones, as much as possible.
Alternatives
If you have determined it unsafe to store your gun safe on the second floor, there are a few options to choose from.
First, you can try and find a safe place on the first floor. You will not have to worry as much about support and the rooms underneath. While visitors and children may be more likely to spot your gun safe, there are plenty of ways to keep it stored out of sight if that is what you’d prefer. The basement is an even safer bet if you have one, as you will not have to worry about any rooms underneath, it will be far out of sight, and people are less likely to break into them.
Additionally, you can consider storing your gun in the garage, but this can come with a few risks. Garages are much easier for thieves to break into. Not all garages are attached to the house. So, you might have to leave your house to access your guns when necessary. If your guns are strictly for hunting, however, this aspect should not be an issue.
Fortunately, heavier gun safes are harder to steal. If you decide to store your gun safe in the garage, you will want to ensure that you have a secure lock system on the safe itself. People can break into even the most secure garages, so ensuring security in the actual safe will give your guns another layer of protection.
