Value Safes

When you think about the security of the valuables, cash and important documents used by your business, one of the first things that should come to mind is safes.  A good bolted down safe can keep burglars from getting to these valuable items - they’ll have to settle for what’s easiest to take if they break in.  Think about the documents or computer backup data that would be nearly impossible to replace if lost in a burglary or a fire.

So a good burglary rated, fireproof safe is a must for any business.  Check to make sure the safe is rated in both of these areas.  Some common burglary ratings are UL TL 15 and TL 30.  Some commone fireproof ratings are a 1 hour or 2 hour fireproof rating.  These ratings mean that these safes have been tested to withstand burglars attempts to open them and tested under actual fire conditions.  If you need to safeguard valuable computer backup media, make sure you get a special media fireproof safe, as these have a much stricter rating to ensure that your media would not be damaged during a fire.

You want to make certain that a fireproof home safe really would protect your valuable documents in the event of a fire.  Here are a few things to look for to make sure.  First, the safe should carry a fireproof rating.  Ratings are typically given in hours, such as a 1-hour fireproof rating.  This means that the safe has undergone a certain test - it was subjected to an actual 1700 degree F fire for a period of 1 hour, and the temperature inside the safe never got above 350 degrees F.  This is a low enough temperature to prevent permanent damage to documents and other valuables.

To make sure the rating is valid, examine the safe.  You should see extra thickness in the door and walls due to the fireproof insulating material, and their should be a special seal around the door that expands when it gets hot - this keeps the water used to put out the fire from getting inside the safe.  Finally, you might also want to consider getting a fireproof home safe that has a burglary rating as well.  Then you can rest assured that your valuables are safe from fire and burglars as well.

Have you ever thought about what it would take to replace some of the valuable documents that you keep in your home or business?  What would happen if you had a fire?  Stock certificates, wills, business records, valuable computer backup media - all of these things could cost you money and time to replace.   A fire proof safe can ensure that if you ever do have a fire situation, these items would survive.  For a safe to be fire proof it must be rated.  Ratings are usually given as a number of hours.

For example, a fire proof safe with a rating of 1 hour has been tested under actual fire conditions at a temperature of 1700 degrees F.  In order to pass the test, the temperature on the inside of the safe did not rise above 350 degrees F.  In addition, the humidity did not rise above 80%.  This is to protect the contents from the harmful efffects of the water used to put out the fire.  Both of these numbers are low enough to ensure that there is no permanent damage to your valuables.  A special media fire proof safe is required to protect computer backup media - they keep the temperature and humidity to an even lower value.  For more information on the fire proof safe.

Storing your valuable documents and other valuable items in a safe is a good idea, whether at your home or your business.  But are you sure you’re using a fireproof safe?  Because all is for nought if you’re not and you suffer a fire at your home or business.   You’ll need to look for a safe that carries a fireproof rating.  These ratings are usually  specified in hours and tell how long a safe will protect your valuables under fire conditions.  For example,  a 1 hour fire rating means that the safe has been subjected to a 1700 degree F fire for a period of 1 hour, and the temperature inside the safe did not rise above 350 degrees F.

And just as important - the humidity did not rise above 80% - this means that your valuable are also protected from the harmful effects of the water used to put out the fire.  Fireproof safes are constructed with special insulating materials designed to keep temperatures low inside the safe, and have special heat-expanding door seals to protect from water damage.   They’re available in all sizes and shapes, and with several different types of locking mechanisms.  You can get both mechanical and electronic locks on fireproof safes.  So check today and see if the safe(s) you’re using are fire rated.   For more information on fireproof safes.

Fire safes are invaluable tools for protecting your valuable documents and other delicate valuables from the harmful effects of a fire, including the effects of the water used to put out the fire.  Whether it’s a home or a business, both have a lot of information and valuable items that would be hard to replace if destroyed in a fire - stock certificates, wills, business records, delicate jewelry, or even computer backup data.  Fire safes are well worth the investment if you ever go through a fire situation.

Fire safes are usually given a rating in hours, which tell how long the safe would protect its contents during an actual fire situation.   For example, fire safes with a rating of 1 hour have been tested to withstand the effects of a 1700 degree F fire for a period of 1 hour, without the temperature inside the safe rising above 350 degrees F.  This is a low enough temperature to protect most items from permanent damage.  Special media safes are available that bring this temperature down to 80 degrees F, to protect valuable computer backup media.   So why not purchase a little insurance against the effects of a fire by getting a fire safe for your home and/or business?

If you’re not keeping your valuable documents and other valuables in a home safe, you probably should be.  Think about what it would take to replace your will or your stock certificates, to say nothing about the fact that the stock certificates are negotiable.  Or what about your valuable jewelry or pistols?  Home safes are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and are surprisingly affordable for the peace of mind they offer.  First, consider where you are going to keep the safe and what needs to go into it.  Then you have an idea of the size and shape you need.

Next you can think about what type of locking mechanism you want - there’s a choice between a traditional mechanical combination dial, an electronic keypad type that uses a pin number to open the safe, or even biometric models that open the safe by scanning your fingerprint.  Next, consider the fire and burglary rating of the  safe.  Look for a 1 or 2 hour fire rating and a 15 or 30 minute burglary rating.  So what not start looking for a home safe today?  More information on home safes.

You could gain a little extra peace of mind if you had a fire safe to store your valuable documents and delicate valuables.  Think about the costs and the headaches involved in replacing some of the documents and other valuables you have in your home or small business.  Don’t forget about the data stored on your computer backup media - this could take man-years to replace.  A fire safe is a reasonably priced investment in a little peace of mind.  Fire safes are designed to protect documents and other valuables from the harmful effects of a fire and the water used to put the fire out.

Fire safes are rated by how well they can resist a fire, and these ratings are usually given in hours.  For example a 1-hour fire rating means that the safe has been subjected to a 1700 degree F fire for a period of 1 hour, and that the temperature inside the safe did not rise above 350 degrees F.  This is a low enough temperature to protect most documents and other valuables from permanent damage.  The test also makes certain that the humidity in the safe does not rise above a certain amount, thus protecting the contents from water damage.  Find more information on the fire safe.

Below is a great article on cheap fireproof safes.  Long after the savings of cheap quality and cheap workmanship…..the disaster of your stuff will wear on….. 

Fires can destroy lives, home and all your most valuable possessions. So it’s important to protect them. But what you may think is “safe” could be anything but! 7’s Sorboni Banerjee puts portable safes to the fire test so you “Don’t Get Burned.”

It happened in a flash… from sunshine to thunderclouds.  Before the family knew it, lightening struck their house.  A fierce fire ignited.

Mike Saraceno, fire victim
“It burnt basically all of upstairs and through the roof.”

The Saraceno family lost a lot. But the things they’d put in that safe were safe.

Mike Saraceno, fire victim
“I would have lost all that stuff.”

But 7News found that not all safes are the same when it comes to protecting your valuables in a fire. We chose three different styles and put them to the test.

The first safe is fire retardant, which means it’s resistant to catching fire. It sells for about twenty dollars. The second safe is labeled fireproof. That means it should never catch fire. This safe cost 26 dollars. And our third safe advertises it’s both fireproof and waterproof.. It’s our most expensive, at over 40 dollars.

We’re putting the same exact things in each of the safes; money, pictures inside an airtight container, DVDs, important documents, and then locking them up.

With the help of the Springfield Fire Department, we place the safes in a specially designed room and light a fire.

The room is about 1500 degrees and we have our safes on the floor though so it should be a bit cooler.

Sorboni Banerjee, 7News
“In a real house it would be even worse?”

Captain Mike Richard, Springfield Fire Department
“Yes, it would be definitely worse.”

About ten minutes later, firefighters douse the flames.

The first safe, the fire retardant one, looks like it held up ok on the outside. But inside, the contents tell a different story.

Sorboni Banerjee, 7News
“Everything is really, really wet.”

The second safe, the fireproof one shows signs of melting.

Sorboni Banerjee, 7News 
“This one is a little less damp, important documents, pictures, money is good, DVDs and other papers are pretty soggy, but not burnt.”

The third safe, which is supposed to protect valuables from fire and water, melted shut. But it’s what’s inside that matters.

Sorboni Banerjee, 7News
“Everything in the big black safe is completely dry.”

Fire experts say for maximum protection, the best bet is a fireproof and waterproof safe.

Captain Mike Richard, Springfield Fire Department
“The water can do as much damage as fire can.”

And it’s important where you put your safe.

Captain Mike Richard, Springfield Fire Department 
“The best place to put any valuables is as close to the floor as possible as long as they’re waterproof.”

For the Saraceno’s, their safe proved to be a saving grace.

Captain Mike Richard, Springfield Fire Department
“It’s a very minimal expense to give you a little piece of mind.”

And now they encourage other families to get the proper protection so you “Don’t Get Burned.”

Fireproof home safe can also protect your belongings from theft and also from fire. It has been tested safes and labels them values depending on their resistance and durability. Fireproof home safe also protect your valuable from burglary, too. Fireproof home safe are not just to keep your valuables with sentimental value, but also for items of monetary value, too. Fireproof home safes are more fireproof than others, its better to get it home to safe your home. Fireproof home safe provides convenience to the user because they no longer have to rotate on a counting basis so as to open the safe. Plus, because it is electronic, the floor safe’s combination can be changed as often as you like. Fireproof home safe can secured in cement, floor safes provide protection from fire and damage. The main objective nature of a floor safe is to major robberies. It does also provide secure for the personal things like jewelry, precious metals, and documents.

A fireproof safe is a type of safe that is designed to protect its contents from high temperatures or actual fire. Fire resistant safes are usually rated by the amount of time they can withstand the extreme temperatures a fire produces, while not exceeding a set internal temperature (e.g. less than 350ºF over 30 minutes). Models are typically available between half-hour and four-hour durations.

An in-floor safe installed in a concrete floor is very resistant to fire.

Both the standards witting for fire-resistance and actual testing of safes is performed by Underwriters Laboratories in the USA.