Gun safe in unheated room or garage?

Sled

WKR
Joined
Jun 11, 2018
Messages
2,262
Location
Utah
I'm moving soon to a place that doesn't have many options for storage. The 42" wide fat boy will need a home and so far the only places I can fit it in will be an unheated storage room or the garage which is moderately insulated but will have high humidity with parked vehicles dripping snow off in the winter. I will have power in both locations to run a golden rod if need be. The storage room will be tight but more secure than the garage. I can hang a curtain to block the view of the safe in the garage so people don't see it with the garage door open. The other option might be to sell it and run a couple cabinets or smaller safes but I really like the one I have now. Any thoughts?
 
Joined
Dec 31, 2021
Messages
1,785
Location
Montana
I can't speak for humidity as we don't have much. A lightbulb in the safe might be an option.

I don't have a safe. I just built a hidden cabinet behind one of the closets on an interior wall. It seems to work well.
 

Beendare

WKR
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
8,875
Location
Corripe cervisiam
I put mine in the garage with a couple of anchor bolts and one of the same Home Cheapo cabinets over it I slightly modified to fit.

I have the silica pouches in mine…but we dont get the climate swings or humidity
 
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Messages
5,146
Location
Colorado
I have mine out in the garage, minimal insulation and we have a wide spread of temps from summer through winter. No humidity. So far I haven't had an issue in the past 6 years. (Knock on wood)
 

Iowafarmer

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 5, 2023
Messages
144
I’ve got mine in the shop temp ranges 30-60 in winter equipment in a out every day I use silica pouches also no problem bolted it to slab with 5/8 redheads also through the wall and weld the nuts on
 
Joined
Apr 5, 2015
Messages
5,915
Built a ply wood cabinet around mind and caulked and weather stripped it. Golden rods in the safe and damp rid packs. Change them once a month. Had some minor surface rust on the sights and sling swivels of two older guns but no issues otherwise.
 

SloppyJ

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2023
Messages
1,461
I have mine in my garage here in the south. I had issues with that until I got one of those golden rod things. Since then, all is well.
 
Joined
May 7, 2023
Messages
519
I've kept mine in the garage for years in Oklahoma. I put a safe heater rod, bags of dessicant and another dehumidifier that you have to plug in to recharge occasionally. I check all my guns, even the ones I don't shoot occasionally and clean them all yearly. Haven't seen any rust in anything except one traditions muzzy I had. I ended up selling it cause of that issue, my CVA and TC rifles didn't have the issue so I thought it was something with that muzzy.
 
Joined
Jan 3, 2015
Messages
47
If it gets really cold, a tiny heater on a quality thermostat seems like a good solution. This would keep the guns as warm as you like, and it would keep humidity away.
 
OP
Sled

Sled

WKR
Joined
Jun 11, 2018
Messages
2,262
Location
Utah
Ok, looks like a golden rod is in my future. They say a 12" is enough for my safe but I'll likely toss in a 24" to be safe. Hopefully it's not too much for the space. I can likely keep the unheated storage area warmer by blocking off the exterior vent and maybe insulating the exterior walls.

Thank you for all the stories and suggestions.
 

Yoder

WKR
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Messages
1,554
I have a small safe that holds about 10 rifles. I kept it in my basement, which is damp, and I leave the heat on at 55. I had a golden rod in the safe. All of my guns rusted. I keep it upstairs now in my living room. Wife wasn't happy but that's too bad.
 

Jt13

FNG
Joined
Apr 30, 2016
Messages
64
I just did a science experiment with a safe in my lightly insulated and unheated garage in PA. One 12" goldenrod was almost enough. After 9 months of being closed there was some very light surface rust on things like screw heads. I cleaned everything up, added a second goldenrod, and now it's good to go.
 
Top