Fortress Gun Safes

Do you have a gun safe? Do you consider your firearms and accessories valuable? While a gun safe is a key part of maintaining and protecting your collection safely, it's important to note that the environment inside your safe is as important as the environment outside of your safe. Why does heat and moisture in the safe matter? Just as excessive moisture in basements can lead to mold and mildew throughout the house--moisture or changes in humidity levels within your safe can cause rust and corrosion on your firearms as well as mold or mildew in cloth or fiber linings and accessories. So what is a conscientious gun owner to do?

Since the early 1900's, products have been in development to combat this very problem and the modern firearm enthusiast as a range of options to consider for use as gun safe dehumidifiers.

Granular or Crystal Products
There is a variety of granular or crystal products such as silica gel, which are packaged in boxes or canisters and can be set on a shelf in the gun safe to absorb moisture from the air. These dehumidifiers can last anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months before they are saturated. Each pack includes an indicator strip or patch which turns from blue to pink to let you know when the unit has reached saturation. Once saturated, these handy devices can be tossed in the kitchen oven and baked dry again for reuse. They are generally expected to last from 3 to 6 years. There is also a newer version in this product line in which the gel or crystal pack is installed within an outer shell that can be plugged into a standard household wall socket to "bake" dry without using the oven.

Electrical Rod Units
The second main type of gun safe dehumidifier used today is a plug-in electrical unit, usually a wand or rod shape with one end plugged into a 110v outlet and the rod end situated in the gun safe. The wand or rod maintains a constant temperature in the safe, warming the air enough to avoid moisture build up on the barrels and metalwork on firearms. Models are sold with regular or detectable plugs for easy installation. Gun owners can also look for safes which include pre-drilled holes for dehumidifier plugs to pass through. Manufacturer specifications call for these units to last up to 10 years.