What good is a fireproof safe that is only rated for one hour?

I’ve noticed that the majority of fireproof safes and fireproof file cabinets are rated for about one hour.  Fires last longer than one hour, so what’s with that?

This is a great question and one with a clear answer that will bring peace of mind and confidence that a one hour rated safe is just what you need to protect your personal documents.

How a one hour rated safe protects your documents

The science behind fires is complex, but the average fire will burn at about 800°F while it consumes a building and passes through.  The temperature of the fire will increase in any one area while flammable materials are consumed, normally this high temperature area averages about 20 minutes in any one spot.  As the fire moves on the temperature decreases.

The UL test that fireproof products are submitted to consists of two segments.  The first portion is a one-hour burn during which time the safe (or file cabinet etc.) is submitted to intense heat, and then a cool-down period which could last anywhere from 15 to 25 hours and simulates lower-temperatures of a typical fire.  For the duration of the entire test the internal temperature and humidity can not exceed specific standards established by the UL.  The majority of products that fail do so in the second half of the testing.  A product that has been established with a one hour rating has passed both the intense heat and the cool-down portion of the test.

Average Fire Temperature

Since the average fire burns at about 800°F having a safe that is rated for one hour at a much higher temperature (such as 1500°F or 1700°F) is in your best interest.  SentrySafes (our number one recommended brand) manufactures many one hour safes that are UL rated and will do the job at protection your personal documents, family photos, or other valuables.

The SentrySafe below is one of Amazon’s best sellers and our recommendation for a quality, high rated safe at a reasonable price.

SentrySafe DS0200 Safe 1 Hour Fireproof Combination Safe, 0.8 Cubic Feet, Black Average Rating: 26 total customer reviews...

About the author

Daniel Snyder wrote 20 articles on this blog.

Security enthusiast. Interested in privacy, fireproofing, burglary protection, amsec and sentrysafe products. Husband, father, blogger, and small business owner.

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