Fire-proof safes can protect your valuables, including sensitive documents and cash, from a fire.
Most people think that safes only offer insurance against burglary and, since they live in a secure area, don’t need to buy one. However, Locksmith safe experts think safes are a viable asset since they can also protect valuables from a house fire. So, safe installation in the home or office can give you much peace while decreasing premiums on your insurance. In addition, having your valuables secure in a fire-proof safe can avoid a total disaster during a house fire.

Many individuals are managing a small business nowadays. Working from home gives people added freedom and is more common today, but the trail of paperwork created in the company is considerable. For example, homeowners and business owners use cash for payments while still using their bank accounts and checkbooks. Furthermore, keeping tabs on payment receipts and essential documents becomes an ordeal to stay safe from both theft and fire.

So, protecting money, valuables, and essential documents from fire and burglary, becomes a significant reason to buy a safe. Understanding how a safe can secure your valuables from fire is something only our Grapeland Heights Locksmiths can show you effectively.

What are the Different Types of Safes?

Mainly, there are two reasons behind getting a safe installed, which mirror the two main classifications of safe:

• Protection against theft

• Protection against fire

A few safes will offer protection in the two categories; however, it is difficult to do both efficiently. For example, security safes have thick, robust walls to stop burglar attacks. On the other hand, a fire-proof safe has thinner insulated walls that are less robust, so burglars have a better chance of breaking into them.

Underneath these high-level categories, other quality safes are accessible and more straightforward to choose from. It is significant for the insurance agencies to know what type of safe you purchased so they can offer you a suitable premium or reduce the premium for valuables appraised.

What Kinds of Fire-proof Safes are There?

There are two kinds of fire-safe: to protect data and to protect documents paper:

Fire data safes are appropriate for putting away tapes, CDs, DVDs, USB, hard drives, and even film negatives. Data requires more protection than paper as the media can melt or get ruined at a lower temperature.

The fire test standards recommend that the critical maximum temperature of the below media can’t be exceeded:

• Digital media: 120˚C

• Computer data: 52˚C

You can use a fire-proof safe to store paper documents, for example, birth certificates, wills, house deeds, contracts, and business documents.

The fire test norms require that the critical maximum temperature for paper documents is 175˚C.

What Fire Rating do the Fire-proof Safes Need?

Any safe producer can claim a fire rating for their safes. However, a maker who tests their safes through a trusted global independent safety science company such as UL (Underwriters Laboratories) may utilize the “UL” logo on their fire protection rating. It means that UL has tested product samples and determined that the goods meet specific and defined requirements.

A few makers may attempt to trick the customer by stating that parts of the safe were UL tested. But, on the other hand, what people need to know is if the safe has been tested, not merely the electric cables, or lock, or light set and, etc.

House Fires Safety

Most house fires burn quickly, and they don’t burn at their hottest temperatures for a long time. It means a 30-minute UL-rated safe will protect paper documents for at least 30 minutes in a typical house fire. Moreover, a 90 minutes UL-rated safe will protect paper archives for at least 90 minutes.

I know it’s almost impossible to know the right amount of time that a fire burns. However, it is a decent baseline for people to understand fire-rated safes. Thus, if you use the safe to put away firearms, a high-level fire rating safe is less significant than storing film, electronic data, and hard drives. What are you going to protect? If you have a budget, balancing what’s important to protect is a significant factor, too.