1. No safe (or anything else) is completely fireproof. The best location is on the lowest floor, against an outside wall, far from any flammable materials. Statistically, fires reach these areas last.
2. There is no standard measurement for fire test ratings. Many companies invent their own. A rating by the independent Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is the most trusted standard. These safes have been thoroughly tested by an independent lab. Anything else is a claim, not a guarantee.
3. Even a fire-resistant safe becomes vulnerable if a heavy beam or other object falls on it. You'll get more security and protection from a strong, well-constructed safe.
4. In an impact test, a safe is heated, then dropped to simulate a fall from the third floor window, then reheated, then inspected. An explosion test determines whether a safe will explode when heated quickly to 2000 degrees.
5. More guns and valuables are lost each year to fire than to theft. Choosing a fire-resistant safe more than doubles your protection.
6. The top part of the safe literally takes the heat. For maximum fire protection, store valuables as low in the safe as possible.
7. A gun safe is the best place to store ammunition too. Fire-retardant construction is especially helpful here.
8. Although outside temperature resistance is important, it's the inside temp rating that counts. Paper begins to brown above 400 degrees. A safe will fail a UL certification if internal temperature exceeds 350 degrees over the amount of time tested.
9. In a typical house fire, temperatures rise to 1200 degrees in less than 10 minutes. Such quick heating can cause lesser safes to explode. Check for a UL explosion rating.
10. Never store gunpowder in a safe. Keep powder cool and dry, away from light and electricity, in a loose-lidded tin or wooden box. Gunpowder in a sealed container equals a bomb.
