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QUESTION:Fireproof storage
I'm looking for a very cheap way to keep valuables away from crooks,
and mostly, fire. I don't have access to a basement and I don't really
believe in the "fireproofness" of so-called fireproof safety boxes,
since fires often take more than an hour to extinguish. A safety
deposit box at the bank is also out of the question.
So, I'm asking you firefighters out there what parts of a house and
furniture usually "survive" a fire. Would a household appliance do the
trick (say the freezer or fridge)? Any other odd (and hollow) objects
people keep around the house which usually make it through? Thanks for
your input.
ANSWER: Q: I'm looking for a very cheap way to keep valuables away from crooks,
and mostly, fire. I don't have access to a basement and I don't really
believe in the "fireproofness" of so-called fireproof safety boxes,
since fires often take more than an hour to extinguish. A safety
deposit box at the bank is also out of the question.
A: A container rated by Underwriter's Lab for one hour in a structure
fire, if you are living in a hydranted area with a competent fire
department, should be sufficient. The impact test, the Class 350 test, and
other tests are rigorous. The impact test heats containers to 1550 degrees
for 30 minutes (1-hour rating) or 1638 degrees (for 2 hours), is dropped
30 feet onto concrete rubble, flipped over and repeated for another half
hour (45 minutes for 2-hour containers).
A Class 350 with a 2-hour rating and impact label will be pretty
impressive, but unavailable without going to a safe/vault company. It'll
be worth it.
Q: So, I'm asking you firefighters out there what parts of a house and
furniture usually "survive" a fire. Would a household appliance do the
trick (say the freezer or fridge)? Any other odd (and hollow) objects
people keep around the house which usually make it through? Thanks for
your input.
A: If you're intent on getting around using a tested, proven
container, the freezer is surprisingly good. I recall one fire in a
kitchen that was pretty bad (three layers of remodeling in a mobile home
precluded efficiently extinguishing the fire), where the ice cream in the
freezer didn't even melted. Of course, if the floor had collapsed or
something else had sprung the door, the contents would have been
incinerated.
Not having access to a basement is a problem. I recall one article
in the Safe and Vault Technicians Association (SAVTA) periodical about the
California wildfires in... 1990? 1991? where a lot of homes were lost.
Save and valt technicians swarmed over the countryside like deranged
butterfly collectors, opening all kinds of containers that belonged to the
previous residents.
Interestingly, virtually all of the floor safes survived. One
exception was a rated floor safe where the dial melted, and ruined the
contents when it dripped all over what was inside (it may have burned up
the contents- I forget). Safes made by amateurs fared surprisingly well,
provided they were imbedded in the slab. Other safes- including the
best-made, rated safes, failed due to the prolonged nature of the fire, as
structures could not be extinguished effectively, so they burned to the
ground.
It may be of interest that "media" safes, which must stay cooler
than "fireproof" safes (i.e., Class 350 rating, meaning the contents never
exceed 350 F), are constructed of wood. It is an excellent insulator, and
charrs at about 1" per hour. Sheet wood has been used as the "torch"
resistant layer in some kinds of safes to prevent the effective use of a
"burning bar" or magnesium thermal lance- it just charrs, making
penetration of the container difficult. (Copper is used for its
heat-wicking effect, and has probably replaced wood by now.)
If you could find a large timber, say 12" thick, hollow it out and
find some way to put items in and get them out, it could conceivably store
objects of interest for some time in a fire, if the wall thickness were
great enough. The only problems would be if the wood cracked (contents
would burn), and recognizing it after the fire (probably get thrown out
during overhaul). Sealing it against fire entry, yet maintaining its
usefulness, would be a challenge.
My advice? Get a container, appropriate for the level of fire
response in your district. Consult a safe and vault dealer who is a member
of SAVTA or other professional organization.
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