Should A Gun Safe Be Airtight?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Should A Gun Safe Be Airtight?

Posted: 3/27/2006 2:20:30 PM EDT

My gun safe has a hole in the back for an electric cord if using a Golden-Rod or an interior light. Should I seal the hole with caulk after I run the wire through the hole? Also, in the bottom, there are holes to allow you to bolt down the safe. Should I seal those with caulk as well? I am kinda concerned that being on a concrete floor, moisture could be released from the concrete into the safe through the bolt down holes.

Posted: 3/27/2006 2:24:16 PM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:
My gun safe has a hole in the back for a electric cord if using a Golden-Rod or an interior light. Should I seal the hole with caulk after I run the wire through the hole? Also, in the bottom, there are holes to allow you to bolt down the safe. Should I seal those with caulk as well? I am kinda concerned that being on a concrete floor, moisture could be released from the concrete into the safe through the bolt down holes.

No on the air-tight

Posted: 3/27/2006 2:25:16 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
Quoted:
My gun safe has a hole in the back for a electric cord if using a Golden-Rod or an interior light. Should I seal the hole with caulk after I run the wire through the hole? Also, in the bottom, there are holes to allow you to bolt down the safe. Should I seal those with caulk as well? I am kinda concerned that being on a concrete floor, moisture could be released from the concrete into the safe through the bolt down holes.

No on the air-tight

Please elaborate on why it shouldn't be air-tight.

Posted: 3/27/2006 2:29:40 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
My gun safe has a hole in the back for a electric cord if using a Golden-Rod or an interior light. Should I seal the hole with caulk after I run the wire through the hole? Also, in the bottom, there are holes to allow you to bolt down the safe. Should I seal those with caulk as well? I am kinda concerned that being on a concrete floor, moisture could be released from the concrete into the safe through the bolt down holes.

No on the air-tight

Please elaborate on why it shouldn't be air-tight.

What kinda safe are we talking about......on concrete floor I might seal the bottom holes with caulk but other than that put a golden rod in it you'll be alright. The door isn't air tight so there ya go.....not to mention if you lock yourself inside you won't be able to breath

Posted: 3/27/2006 2:31:17 PM EDT

[#4]

My vault isn't airtight. Some airflow (albeit very, very small amount) is good unless the environment around/outside it is harsh.

Posted: 3/27/2006 2:31:34 PM EDT

[#5]

I'd go ahead and plug the wholes if you want. But i would run an extension cord into the safe first, to use a golden rod/ and or a light string or battery charger, etc. Some safe companies do not uncover the holes when they put the sheet rock (fire insulation) in, i don't think they would do that if it would be damaging somehow. besides, your door isn't really air tight, you would not have a real seal. I would think it would be better in a fire to have all unused holes blocked. might want to use high temp caulk/ silicone.

Posted: 3/27/2006 2:34:34 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
The door isn't air tight so there ya go.....not to mention if you lock yourself inside you won't be able to breath

how exactly would you lock yourself in? my door has a spoke handle that has to be turned from the outside for the door bolts to lock. If you were locked in, ad had a knife to cut the insulation out of the door, you would be able to get out rather fast. otherwise just use a handgun for a hammer to break the sheetrock, then unlock the bolts.

Posted: 3/27/2006 2:38:24 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Quoted:
The door isn't air tight so there ya go.....not to mention if you lock yourself inside you won't be able to breath

how exactly would you lock yourself in? my door has a spoke handle that has to be turned from the outside for the door bolts to lock. If you were locked in, ad had a knife to cut the insulation out of the door, you would be able to get out rather fast. otherwise just use a handgun for a hammer to break the sheetrock, then unlock the bolts.

IWAS KIDDING

Posted: 3/27/2006 3:07:08 PM EDT

[#8]

No, you do not want it airtight.

With a light bulb or a goldenrod, you are counting on vapor pressure to push moisture out of your safe.

Most door seals provide more than enough air leakage.

Seal it up and you have a sauna.

Posted: 3/27/2006 3:26:18 PM EDT

[#9]

Quality safes also have a vent hole in the top to allow air to circulate, cheap safes have enough leaks in the fit that they are not sealed.

The air needs to circulate removing moisture. Sealing in the moisture and heating it with the golden rod will make the equal of a greenhouse effect for raising orchids.

Posted: 3/27/2006 3:45:24 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
No, you do not want it airtight.

With a light bulb or a goldenrod, you are counting on vapor pressure to push moisture out of your safe.

Most door seals provide more than enough air leakage.

Seal it up and you have a sauna.

My thermo professor is crying.

The golden rod or light bulb is to keep the temperature inside the safe slightly higher than ambient. This prevents condensation from forming inside the vault since A) warmer air has a higher capacity for water vapor and B) water vapor will only condense on colder surfaces. Toasty vault = tough place for liquid water to exist.

Posted: 3/27/2006 3:52:27 PM EDT

[#11]

If your worried about condensation because of the concrete floor, put on a piece of plywood or strips of wood.

I have mine on a piece of plywood and I drilled through them and anchor bolted the safe into the concrete floor.

Posted: 3/27/2006 10:57:50 PM EDT

[#12]

Let's make it simple. Take two containers, put some moisture in them and heaters. One container you seal up air tight and plug in the heater. The other container you vent to outside air and plug in the heater. Come back in 4 years and which one do you think will have moisture in it. The sealed or the vented one.

So if your goal is to seal in any trapped moisture then go with sealed.

If your goal is to move moisture out and away from the gun safe, go with vent holes.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Should A Gun Safe Be Airtight?

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