Gun Safe in the garage?

[Jim/Wa]

We have an attached 2 car garage with a 8x10 enclosed "pantry" area. I'm thinking of putting a gun safe in the pantry room. The garage is not heated and if I had to guess the temperature swings throughout the year range from low 40's in winter to upper 80's in summer. The temps are mitigated somewhat by the walled off pantry and the fact that one wall is formed by an inside wall (living room). Anyone see a problem with this plan? Anybody do something similar? The security part is not my concern, it's the fluctuation in temperatures and humidity that have me second guessing.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I wouldn't but if you do, invest in dehumidifying components and keep up with their maintenance. We put our safe in the basement where it's a much more controlled environment and even with a large silica tin, it only lasts a about 8 weeks before it needs to be recharged. We're not nearly as humid as you are, so take it for what it's worth.

 

[npaden]

My safe is in my garage. Never noticed an issue.

 

[noharleyyet]

My safe is in an unheated/cooled anteroom adjoining the garage. I use the oven refreshed crystals. We have a full spectrum of heat/cold/wet/dry...no issues,

 

[tjones]

My safe is in an unheated/cooled anteroom adjoining the garage. I use the oven refreshed crystals. We have a full spectrum of heat/cold/wet/dry...no issues,

an·te·room
ˈan(t)ēˌro͞om,ˈan(t)ēˌro͝om/Submit
noun
an antechamber, typically serving as a waiting room.
synonyms: antechamber, vestibule, lobby, foyer, outer room; narthex
"guests will be met in the anteroom"


Must be a Texas thing.

 

[rtraverdavis]

Jim/Wa, I live on the west side of Washington and have my safe in our attached garage. I keep dehumidifier components in the safe and have never had an issue.

 

[Southern Elk]

an·te·room
ˈan(t)ēˌro͞om,ˈan(t)ēˌro͝om/Submit
noun
an antechamber, typically serving as a waiting room.
synonyms: antechamber, vestibule, lobby, foyer, outer room; narthex
"guests will be met in the anteroom"


Must be a Texas thing.

I thought for a second it was a typo, then I saw it was a comment from NHY. He's much more refined and proper than the rest of us.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Troglodytes, Harley.

We are surrounded by troglodytes.

 

[noharleyyet]

"Uninvited guests will be met in the anteroom"

...fixed Jones.

 

[utahminer]

I used to keep my in the garage with one of the silica base tins and didnt have any problems. At the time I was living in Utah with huge temperature swings, but normally pretty dry.

 

[Nick87]

I do it I keep the Crystal pack dehumidifier and a golden rod in the safe no issues so far but our garage has two interior walls attached and is underneath our master bedroom so maybe that helps.

 

[Southern Elk]

Troglodytes, Harley.

We are surrounded by troglodytes.

That's a little harsh.

 

[LopeHunter]

Have a gun safe in insulated though unheated garage located a few yards from the Columbia River. The wife parks her car in the garage so water drips down onto the garage floor 200 days a year or so. I promptly clean my guns if was out and about. I wipe all the guns down about this time a year since a few stay in the safe all year. No issues in over a decade of the safe being in that garage. No gel packs or heaters in my safe but thought about it when was bolting the safe down as moved into that home. Since no issues, not going to worry about it now. Our other home is in the desert and is very dry. I clean and wipe down those guns. Again, no issues.

 

[LuketheDog]

I know folks that do it here in Colorado and none have had issues, but it's very dry here. Like guys above said, based on your location I'd worry more about mitigating humidity than I would about the temperature.

 

[Ben Lamb]

That's a little harsh.

 

[ccc23454]

I did it in VA in a humid environment and I did learn to put some small wood strips 1/8-1/4" or something to get a little air flow understate. The metal on concrete will create condensation if not. I used a brass bar or whatever you call those bars inside and it worked great as far as humidity control. Make sure you anchor your safe to the floor! A guy I meet use to install and handle insurance claims about safes and told me why it's some important. Criminals would go to a golf driving range buy a couple baskets of balls and poor them on floor in garage, knock over safe onto balls and push it right out, open it later when they had time and tools. Bedt of luck

C

 

[onpoint]

Troglodytes, Harley.

We are surrounded by troglodytes.

Definition of troglodyte
1 : a member of any of various peoples (as in antiquity) who lived or were reputed to live chiefly in caves
2 : a person characterized by reclusive habits or outmoded or reactionary attitudes
— troglodytic play \ˌträ-glə-ˈdi-tik\ adjective

 

[DRS]

I've had one in my garage in the NC coastal plain since last Feb. It was not where I would have liked to put it but it was the only place I had room for it. I've been using the electric dehumidifying rod and also put some of the silica packets in there last summer. So far everything in it has stayed in good shape.

Before my Dad passed away he had his safe in an unheated and un air conditioned room at his house in western NC for over 15 years without have any issues.

 

[zaynkarim]

I have a gun safe in the garage but never faced the problem.

 

[MJE2083]

As others have said, if you have some sort of humidity control you should be fine. My only other concern would be that if you have an electronic keypad, the cold weather might kill your batteries.