Gun safe in a basement okay?

[Newtosavage]

Moved to Maine several months ago and am living the dream. Finally getting into our home and like most places here it has a basement. It's a nice, dry, concrete basement but it is cooler and more humid than the main house. I plan to have my reloading bench in the basement, but I'm wondering if I should have my gun safe down there. I'd sure hate to open it one day and find one of my old rifles rusting.

What say you? Am I worried about nothing? Are there precautions I could take? Should I just put the safe in the house?

 

[Macintosh]

One of mine is in my basement, Im in a similar climate. I keep a plug-in dehumidifier in it. I watch it, but have not had a problem yet. (Knock on wood)

 

[2muchhp]

Mine has been in my basement for 20+ years. I keep A couple bags of desiccant in there and have had no issues. All my reloading supplies are in there as well, no issues. I buy some of the cheap moisture container things for the powder etc, sorry not sure what they are called from the dollar store. Only need to replace them a couple times a year

 

[journeyman713]

Similar conditions with a basement safe for many many years. Never a problem.
Here’s what I did.

Added a cold air return vent, at the furnace in the basement. This helped exchange air with the upstairs house when heating and cooling, and take care of excess humidity downstairs.
During the spring rainy season, when neither the heat, nor the AC were running, I would run a dehumidifier.

Getting it down there is another story. The trick is, having a good dolly and a case of beer. Then call some friends!

 

[2muchhp]

Yup friends ,

 

[Trr15]

Mine are in the basement. I’m in a dry climate though.

 

[grfox92]

I wouldn't put anything in a New England basement that you care about.

We moved to Wyoming 3 years ago, and are still opening boxes from our basement in NY and throwing everything away. It all smells like mold and we didn't have an overly damp basement and ran a dehumidifier constantly.

My gear filing cabinet has just a few pieces of gear that I had in NY in it and every time I open that cabinet I smell NY basement. For the record I have cleaned everything with spray cleaners and the smell is still there. .

I would have a system of dehumidifiers running in that basement, above and beyond the Sq ft recommendations. Keep stuff out of boxes and sealed bins, that's where the musty smells seem to ferment.

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[kswhitetail]

Mine is in my basement. I do run a dehumidifier in the basement. I would do that if I didn't have the safe down there.

 

[lintond]

Any concerns with flooding? Our basement flooded once because a dumb kid (me) decided to flood irrigate the lawn. Luckily most things were elevated on pallets or something like that. Something to consider.


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[keystone112]

I run a plug in dehumidifier in the safe and a free standing dehumidifier in the room. No issues with mine in the basement in Ohio.

 

[fwafwow]

I had the same worry - after I had mine delivered. I went the dessicant and dehumidifier route. Now I keep two hygrometers down there - one in and one outside of the safe. Turns out my basement isn’t too humid, and in the winter could arguably be too dry. Maybe you start with the hygrometer and see what the humidity is?

 

[Newtosavage]

I had the same worry - after I had mine delivered. I went the dessicant and dehumidifier route. Now I keep two hygrometers down there - one in and one outside of the safe. Turns out my basement isn’t too humid, and in the winter could arguably be too dry. Maybe you start with the hygrometer and see what the humidity is?

Good advice.

 

[rbaney]

I am in PA and have 3 safes in my basement. I have electric rods of sorts in all 3 and run a dehumidifier during the summer. An after 12 years have no worries at all about my guns. So go for it I also recommend a Hygrometer for your safe.

 

[PNWGATOR]

Basements suck for safes regardless how “dry it is down there“ or “how much room“ you have or “how out of the way” it is.

It’s a PITA.

Make a different choice.

 

[dtchhuntr]

I run dehumidifier in basement and plug in rod inside safe. Monitor levels all the time and it stays perfect. Properly maintain oiled firearms and waxed stocks. Everything is in perfect condition still.

 

[fwafwow]

Basements suck for safes regardless how “dry it is down there“ or “how much room“ you have or “how out of the way” it is.

It’s a PITA.

Make a different choice.

Why?

 

[PNWGATOR]

Why?

Getting them in an out is t much fun. It’s also much more convenient loading contents in and out from the garage or a shop.

 

[keystone112]

If your garage is climate controlled, it is a great option.

 

[Wetwork]

If your house catches fire, having a safe in the basement can be a blessing. As the Fire Dept. floods your house putting out the fire it keeps your stuff nice and safe underwater....you can dry out a firearm, you can't fix a burnt one. In wild fire country you look at a basement armory different than what town kids need.-WW
ps. Rigging your safe to drop into a flooded basement might be a good idea also if your house is on fire.

 

[rbaney]

Well where I live almost all basements have outside access doors. Mine has a man door as well as a garage door. So that solves your problem getting the safe in the basement. So not all houses are the same. But I get the pain if you only have stair access to your basement.