We all want to make sure that our items are as safe from theft as possible, but the chances of someone randomly breaking into your house and stealing your valuables is pretty low. If you really need a high security safe then you probably already have one and if you don’t, then you can probably do without it. The average Joe, which is most likely the category you fall into, doesn’t need a safe to prevent theft. What he or she really needs is a safe that can protect their valuables from destruction. Fire Safes are an ideal choice for most people. Unfortunately, not all fire safes are created equal. If you want to ensure that your items are protected against the elements then make sure you follow the tips below.

The first thing you want to do whenever you choose to purchase a fire safe is to make sure it actually is fire resistant. This can be done by simply looking at the certification sticker on the outside of the box that the safe comes in. There are a few different certification companies but most of them are pretty trust worthy as far as ratings are concerned. However, some safe manufacturers will put their own sticker of certification on their products and not have them officially tested. Do a little research to find out which certification companies you can trust and which ones you should stay away from so that you don’t end up getting swindled.

Also, you need to keep in mind that while two safes may have been created on the same assembly line, they may not offer the same level of security. This means that you can’t take the certification rating of a safe as a measure of exactly how strong your particular safe is. You could’ve gotten a safe that wasn’t built quite as well as the one that was tested or you could get one that is just a smidge smaller. Think of certification ratings as the best possible solution but plan for the safe you buy to be a

bit weaker than suggested just in case.

Check to make sure that the fire safes you are considering to purchase have at least one fireboard layer. Fireboard is the actual fire resistant layer of the safe. The more layers of fireboard a safe has, the more fire resistant it is. The highest quality fire safes will have at least five layers of fireboard. You also need to consider that the more fireboard layers a safe has, the more it’s going to cost. Different companies use different levels of fireboard thicknesses too. One safe may have a layer that is three-fourths of an inch while another uses half inch layers. Check the thickness and amount of fireboard layers to ensure you’re getting the biggest bang for your buck.

You also want to check the thickness of the steel as well. The thicker the steel is, the more fire resistant the safe will be. You want to find something that at least has a steel thickness level of twelve gauges or lower. Less means more when you’re looking at the gauge number of steel.

The area where most fire resistant safes fail at is the door. You can wrap the safe in all the steel and fireboard you want, but if the door isn’t air tight then the heat and smoke is just going to seep into the cracks and destroy everything anyway. To avoid this issue make sure you examine the safe before purchase and check all the cracks around the door. If you don’t have any stores near you that sell safes and/or want to buy a safe online, then make sure the fireboard of the safe you decide to purchase is made out of Palusol. Palusol is a type of fireboard that expands and creates a seal around any potential cracks when it gets hot.

Don’t waste your money securing your valuables solely against the threat of theft that will probably never come to fruition. Chances are, you don’t have the money to waste on a frivolous purchase. Spend the money to protect your valuables from the elements and the theft protection will follow.

About The Author: Cindy D. Lombardo has written this article.