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How can you protect your valuables in a fire?

The best way to protect your valuables in a fire is to invest in a fire proof safe. There are two types of fireproof safes on the market: those for paper storage and those for data storage. Data fire safes carry a UL 125 or UL 72 rating and document storage fire safes carry a UL 350 fire rating.

An UL (Underwriter’s Laboratories) rating of 125 means that the inside of the safe will not go above 125 degrees Fahrenheit. This is close to the temperature at which computer media, which includes CD’s, DVD’s, film negatives, etc., will melt. The UL 350 test is rated for the storage of paper documents which begin to burn at 400°F.

How many hours of fire protection do you need? Generally, the average fire burns at around 800°F for about 20 minutes. The UL test for both UL 125°F and UL 350°F ratings is performed for 1 hour at 1700°F. Very rarely will a house fire burn for more than an hour in one area. So, not only is a 1 hour fireproof safe effective, it’s also less costly.A fireproof safe can be a great way to insure your valuables are safe.

Buyers Beware

When shopping around for a fire resistant safe you may notice two different labels: ‘UL listed’ and UL Rated and Tested.’ A label that reads, ‘tested to UL standards’ means that the product was submitted to UL for testing but that the product did not pass or has not yet passed testing protocol. A product that reads ‘UL Listed’ has passed the appropriate testing and is a reliable product. For more information on fire safes contact a reputable home safes company.