What Level of Fire Resistance Do I Need?

In a home fire, the peak temperature and duration of the fire can vary depending upon the size of the home, the materials used to construct the home, the response time of firefighters, etc. It is estimated that the typical peak temperature in a home fire ranges between 800 to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit. The typical time for firefighting authorities to bring a home fire into containment is estimated at 15 to 30 minutes.

Paper chars at approximately 402°F. To protect paper documents, the internal temperature of a safe must remain below 350°F while exposed to the conditions of the typical home fire. Thus at a minimum, a safe should provide enough fire resistance to keep the maximum internal temperature of the safe below 350°F, when exposed to external temperatures of 1200° for 30 minutes.