The sole purpose of a fireproof safe is to protect its contents from high temperatures or actual fire. If you want to protect valuables or important assets from the devastating effects of fire, fireproof safes should be your top priority. Their ratings are usually based on the time and temperature they can withstand. There are various test institutes, test standards, technical specifications, and security ratings that rate fireproof safes, and also, these are available in different designs, shapes, and sizes according to the requirements of customers.
Fireproof safes are categorised into the following types depending on the items that can be used for:
- Paper (eg passports, certificates, insurance, cash etc)
- DataMagnetic Devices: (internal hard drives, tapes, etc)
- Digital Media (eg USB, DVDs, CDs, Camera, Hard Disks)
All the above mentioned items can get damaged beyond a set temperature and humidity. Each fireproof safe type is designed to maintain the desired temperature for an amount of time to keep the item intact and viable.
Choosing the right Fireproof Safes
People can easily make mistakes when choosing the right safe for their items. It is essential to choose the right product based on your requirements, otherwise the safe is not fit for purpose. Choosing the wrong product can ultimately destroy the valuables in the event of a fire as the type of contents you have may not be protected with the particular safe you purchased, or you may have chosen a low quality or inferior product.
While buying a Fireproof Safe, an important point to also consider is that its internal dimensions will be much smaller than the external appearance. It is quite easy to miss this as insulation used for constructing these vaults can take a lot of space.
Material Used:
Generally, safes can be constructed using different materials based on the safes protection types. Safes are generally categorised into 4 protection types:
- Basic Protection (protection from kids or unwanted viewers)
- Moderate Protection (moderate protection against thieves)
- High Protection (heavy-duty locks against tool attacks)
- Maximum Protection ( maximum protection)
Fireproof safes are made of at least two walls of metal to hold the fire-resistant material. Stainless Steel is generally used as the walls, thanks to its resistance to high temperatures and strength. Materials that offer resistance against fire act as thermal insulation and usually include mineral wool, calcium or sodium silicate, fire-protected concrete, and perlite. This material is constantly being updated with researchers working to find new suitable materials. At present researchers have discovered that tantalum carbide and hafnium carbide can endure scorching temperatures of almost 4000 degrees Celsius. For those geeks who thrive for numbers here is a sample dedicated table of materials used in a Fire Proof safe.
| Level | Type | Thickness |
| First layer | metal wall | 0.8 inch |
| Second layer | insulation | 1.15 inches |
| Third layer | metal wall | 0.8 inch |
| Fourth layer | fire expandable seal | |
| Fifth layer | additional insulation (door) | 0.8 inch |
| Sixth layer | additional metal wall (door) | 0.8 inch |
The need for FireProof Safes
There are several reasons why having fireproof safes is a great idea. In case of emergencies, fireproof safes are potentially the most valuable purchases you could think to make. Surveys conducted by leading authorities suggest that people who have been part of fire-related disasters have found it extremely important to have fireproof safes. With the inclusion of new technologies in our homes and offices, the relevance of fireproof safes has now increased threefold. If you are looking to buy a fireproof safe for your home or workplace, you might want to check out our extensive and affordable collection of fireproof safes available at our website.
