No safe is fireproof forever. A fire resistant safe is tested to keep its contents below a damaging temperature for a stated time, such as thirty, sixty or one hundred and twenty minutes. Within that time your documents survive; beyond it, they may not. That is why the rating matters more than the word fireproof on the box.
What does a fire rating mean?
The rating states how long the safe was heated in a furnace while the temperature inside stayed below a limit. For paper the limit is around the point where paper starts to char. For data media the limit is far lower, because drives and disks fail at much lower temperatures.
How long a rating do I need?
A house fire can burn for a long time before it is put out, especially far from a fire station. Sixty minutes is a sensible minimum for documents in a home, and two hours gives more margin for businesses and properties far from help.
Can a fire safe hold computer backups?
Only if it is rated for data or has a data insert. A paper rated safe can keep documents safe while the drives inside it are ruined by heat.
Is a fire safe also burglary proof?
Not always. Many fire safes are light enough to be carried away and have simple locks. If you need both, choose a safe rated for fire and burglary, and have it anchored.
Where should a fire safe go?
On a ground floor or solid slab, away from the kitchen, bolted down and out of sight. We advise on the position during the survey.
See our storage safes page, safes in Kisumu and Nakuru, or browse all areas we serve.
