What is the best fireproof safe for home use?

You may think that purchasing a fireproof safe is a bit too much with respect to protecting the contents you intend to place in your safe. After all, how many home fires occur every day or even every year? Statistics show that approximately 350,000 home fires happen annually. That’s a huge number and in all reality, a significant risk to take. This is why a fireproof safe is necessary for homes these days.

Moreover, the crime rate continues to increase every year. So, it can be used not only to protect your valuables from fire but to keep them away from prying eyes, with criminal intent, as well. Getting a fireproof safe is a win-win situation. Deciding which one to choose might be super hard, so Sure Lock & Key decided to collect the best fireproof safes for home use and share them with you!

How long will a fireproof safe last in a fire?

There are a few crucial things to know about how long a home fireproof safe box can withstand fire. Manufacturers developed a safe fire rating to make these matters easier to understand. A safe must “pass” a test to get a certain rating.

So, testers place safes in an oven at a specific temperature for a certain time.

Most fire-resistant safes are rated for 30 minutes at 1,550°F, a standard based on current firefighting techniques and how fire typically travels through a home. That is the standard certification from UL and ETL. The next level is 60 minutes at 1,700 °F, which provides a higher degree of safety.

Part of the test evaluates how well the safes are suited for different types of contents. For paper preservation, the internal temperature must not exceed 350 °F. At the same time, for digital media, the failure threshold is 125 °F. Record cassettes and film slides are about 150 °F.

Even if the fire has been put out, there is a chance that the temperature inside is still stable or even rising. On the surface, the safe may appear to have withstood the fire, but items inside the safe can still malfunction due to the high temperature. We therefore suggest that you make sure you double-check the fire-rating label on the safe to match the type of contents you intend to store.

Which fire safe is the best for a home?

A fireproof safe is the kind of thing you buy in the hope that its capabilities will never be put to the test. However, if the time comes, the safe will be worth much more than you paid for it.

We had to consider several different factors when looking for the best home safe.

First of all, we considered the capacity of each safe, as this will allow you to determine how much contents you may safely store in it. Next, we looked at the overall dimensions of each model. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we looked at the different security systems used in each safe, as these systems stand between you and your valuables that could be lost or stolen.

SentrySafe SFW123GDC Fireproof Waterproof Safe with Digital Keypad
This safe can withstand temperatures as high as 1700 °F for 60 minutes and a fall from 15 feet. Moreover, it’s also waterproof, so even a flood won’t damage your assets. It is equipped with a combination batteries-operated lock, which may be considered a disadvantage if regular maintenance and checking whether the batteries are okay aren’t for you. As additional protection, the safe contains a small drawer inside, which can be opened with the main lock emergency key.
Gardall Safe Corporation Fire and Burglary Safe
Just like the previous one, this safe can withstand up to an hour at 1700 °F. This type of safe comes in all different sizes.
Moreover, you can also choose the type of lock you like the best. Besides being fireproof as well as waterproof, the Gardall Safe is tested for burglary resistance. Its biggest, and probably the only disadvantage, is its price.
Sports Afield Sanctuary Platinum Series 11.25 in. Tall Fire/Water Proof Safe
This safe has outer and inner compartments; both have different fireproof ratings. Your belongings stored in the outer lockbox will endure up to an hour at 1800 °F, while placed in the inner compartment can endure up to 120 minutes at 1800 °F. Also, Sanctuary Platinum Series will keep your assets safe in water as well. The safe is equipped with a digital keypad lock, but you will get physical keys in case of an emergency. The great advantage of this safe is a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer.

Where to install a fire safe?

The safe for home use must always be secured, whether on the wall or the floor. The wall should be exterior, and the floor should preferably be concrete. If you want to install an electronic safe in a laundry room or garage, you may need to be careful. The humidity is high there, and the electronic lock may not work properly. Also, it is advisable that you do not hide the safe too deeply. It is suggested that you choose a location that is easy enough to access so you can use it anytime. If you can’t easily reach the safe whenever you need, it might become just a useless box that takes up space. The truth is there are many complicated parts to researching, choosing, deciding on a place, and installing your chosen safe. Hence you may need professional safe locksmith services to get the maximum benefit from your new safe.

Are all steel safes fireproof?

Even though the risk of burglary is five times greater than the risk of fire for the homeowner, fire is the second most significant threat to your valuables. The important thing you need to know is that there’s no completely fireproof safe. If a fire burns hot enough or long enough, the safe, after all, will be destroyed. Home fires most often start in kitchens, fireplaces, and garages. If you install the fireproof safe away from these areas, it will logically have a better chance of surviving.

Many safes do not have any concrete filling or drywall. They are simply steel. Steel conducts heat, so if the safe doesn't have fireproofing material, it will quickly heat up and destroy everything inside. So, in essence, no safe is naturally fireproof.

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Summing Up

You never know when disaster might strike. Isn't it better to be prepared before something happens rather than regretting that you weren't more organized after everything has been ruined? While a fireproof safe cannot protect your entire home, it can help save some of your most essential possessions and documents. Consider the number of valuables you want to protect, the size of the room where you want to place the safe, fireproof rating, portability and access when choosing the best option. Get a solid safe to save yourself and your family from losing your valuables. It will keep everything protected, even in the most catastrophic times.

When buying a safe, like anything else, we want to get the maximum deal. Safes can be quite complicated. It may be hard to find a safe that can cover all your needs simply because the slightest detail might change the entire choice of a particular safe. Let's just say that a perfect safe for your friend’s needs may be totally useless for yours. Another obstacle is that there are so many safes on the market today that you will need to spend a lot of time understanding their advantages, disadvantages, functions, features, etc. That’s why we prepared a guide to help you find the best safe for your present needs. <a href="/">Sure Lock & Key</a> is happy to help by making your complex decisions easier! If you have the time, keep reading and we will try our hardest to reach the answers you seek!

The benefits of an electronic safe - something you may not know

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How to Choose the Best Safe for Home?

Not so simple. Choosing a safe today is substantially different than it was anytime through history. It really is not just different, it's quite difficult. Why? Simply because the technology has changed and totally elongated how and what a safe can be used for. The whole format, options, design and placement strategies have made the answer to this question very difficult. However, Sure Lock & Key believes that a safe, today, is truly a magnificent item that will give you more peace of mind than ever before. We don’t want the hard choice to stop people from getting one. That’s why we have put together this short but comprehensive explanation about the different types of safe locks to help you choose a home safe. Let’s take a look!