Safe Repair: Important Steps to Take When You Have a Broken Safe

Having a home safe is an easy and effective way to keep your most valuable possessions – from important documents to precious jewelry – protected from theft, fire, and more. And while most safes you can buy today are fairly user-friendly and simple to operate, issues can arise. If you find yourself with what seems to be a broken safe, here are some basic steps to take to pinpoint the problem, do your own safe repair (or bring in an expert to help), and gain access to your items.

If you have an electronic safe:

Check the batteries in your digital safe

If you have a digital safe, start with the simplest fix first. Safe batteries are designed to last for a few years, but like all batteries, they’ll eventually lose charge. If your digital safe isn’t opening – even when the lights and sounds are still working – failing batteries may be to blame. Try changing them using a name-brand battery and see if that solves the problem.

Make sure it’s not in lockout mode

If you accidentally entered the wrong code one too many times, your digital safe could have gone into lockout mode. If it isn’t opening, try waiting for 10-20 minutes before reentering the correct code. 

If you have a mechanical safe:

Check to see if the numbers have drifted on a combination lock.

Sometimes combination locks can wear out and the numbers will start to drift. If you’ve tried the correct combination and your safe isn’t opening, try the combination +1 digit for each number. If that doesn’t work, try it +2, then -1 and -2. If this works and your safe opens, contact a locksmith before you close the safe again to have the combination fixed.

Try pushing the bottom of the door with your foot

Sometimes too much pressure from outside of a safe (it’s under heavy things) or inside of a safe (it’s overly full) can make the safe harder to open. Move the handle to the locked position and try to open it again, this time while pushing the bottom of the safe door with your foot. If pressure is the issue, it might help.

When all else fails, call a locksmith.

If you’ve tried these steps and haven’t had any luck, or if you have a key-operated safe and the key has broken off in the lock, your next step should be to call a locksmith. An experienced locksmith can drill open safes, figure out a forgotten combination, repair a safe, or make a dial replacement or combination change. Contact your local locksmith today to get your home safe back in working order.