Understanding Safe Fire Protection

Liberty Safe takes fire testing seriously: In fact, so seriously that we base our fire testing on standards that have been developed according to research conducted through the efforts of the U.S. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for a “full-scale house fire.” During NIST’s joint study with the ATF, U.S. Fire Administration, National Fire Protection Association and American Re-Insurance, temperatures were recorded to show what exactly goes on during the first minutes of an intense home fire.

When Liberty certifies our safes for fire protection, we rely on furnace testing. We ramp the furnace temperature up to 1200 degrees during the first 10 minutes of the test. Why? Because the NIST test has shown that fire temperatures hit 1200 degrees during the initial moments of a fire. Meanwhile, many other safe manufacturers skew their furnace test results by slowing their 1200 ramp-up to 20-30 minutes. They do this to make it appear that their safes can withstand the heat of fire for a longer period of time. Don’t let the results from other manufacturers’ furnace fire tests fool you.

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The same holds true for a safe’s fire protective features.

To build a superior fire-resistant safe, you need three key features:

1. Multiple layers of fire-rated board for insulation throughout the safe, including walls, door, ceiling and door jambs. These layers should be interlinked to prevent any gaps that can allow fire or hot air to reach the contents of the safe.
2. Thick steel bodies with minimal welds. The thicker, the better when it comes to the steel used to construct a fire-resistant safe. Ideally, the safe should have minimal welds to prevent and potential areas where heat or smoke can seep into the safe.
3. No weak links, like cheap door seals. A superior, fire-resistant safe needs to have a superior door seal that keeps heat, fire and smoke out. All full-size Liberty gun safes feature a heat-activated, expanding Palusol® door seal.

When it comes to fireboard installation, regular drywall (sheetrock) will not do. While some manufacturers will use common gypsum board as a barrier for heat and fire, Liberty does not. Instead, we use multiple layers of 5/8-inch thick fire-rated drywall for safe fire protection. Yes, regular drywall does have some fire-resistance due to its gypsum core and its natural fire-resistant qualities. However, the gypsum core in fire-rated drywall is specially reinforced with glass fiber and other additives to boost its fire-resistance.

When shopping for a fire-resistant safe, you should always ask about the type of fire-board used in building the safe. Fire-rated drywall will feature a UL mark on its backing. Make sure to avoid safes that could be constructed with cheap Chinese drywall that has been cited as a health hazard by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This drywall often contains dangerous compounds, including strontium and sulfur that can corrode your safe’s steel and compromise both its fire-resistance and burglary resistance.

It is pretty easy to pinpoint which areas of your home where there is more of a potential for a fire to occur. If you have a fireplace, right off the bat you should avoid putting your safe in close proximity of it. If you want to show off your safe in the same room of your fireplace, at least put it as far away from it as possible.

Every house has a kitchen, and this room is one of the most prone to having a fire. When considering safe fire protection, the best practice is to locate your safe in a room other than your kitchen or one that is right next to it. But did you know that putting your safe in a room above or below your kitchen is not a good idea either? If your kitchen catches fire, the room above could collapse and bring your safe along with it. And with the room below the kitchen, there is a risk of the kitchen collapsing and water damage from firefighters.

The garage is another area of your home that has an elevated risk of catching on fire. Chances are you have a lawn mower and other yard equipment that uses gasoline, which could be stored in your garage. Then there could also be different chemicals, like paint thinners, cleaners or fertilizers that are extremely flammable. This makes your garage not an ideal place for your safe either.

The safest place in your home to make the most of your safe’s fire protection features is a room that is on a concrete slab. However, not all homes are built on a concrete slab. The next best place is to have your safe on the first floor of your home if you have a crawl space or basement. However, keep in mind to keep your safe as far away from your kitchen, garage and fireplace as possible.