Determining the Ideal Fire Rating for Your Gun Safe

Safes protect your valuables from floods, fires, and other natural catastrophes. The fire appears to be the risk you must prioritize since it does the most harm to your possessions. So what fire rating should a gun safe have? 

It would be best to get a gun safe that can have a 1-hour fire rating. Safes with a lower rating are unlikely to withstand a business or home fire.

This article will discuss the fire rating of safes in depth. We also share some tips to choose fireproof lockers to store your weapons. Let’s give it a read!

What Fire Rating Should A Gun Safe Have?

When it comes to choosing the appropriate fire rating for a gun safe, it’s a critical decision to ensure the protection of your firearms and valuables in case of a fire. The recommended fire rating for a gun safe depends on various factors, including your location, the size of your safe, and your specific needs. Here are some general guidelines to help you determine what fire rating your gun safe should have:

1. Minimum 1-Hour Fire Rating: Many experts recommend opting for a gun safe with a minimum 1-hour fire rating. This means that the safe can withstand a typical home or business fire for at least one hour without the interior temperature rising to a critical level that could damage your firearms or important documents.
2. Consider Your Location: If you live in an area prone to wildfires or where the response time of firefighters may be longer, you might want to consider a higher fire rating. Safes with longer fire ratings, such as 90 minutes or 2 hours, offer increased protection.
3. Safe Size Matters: The size of your gun safe matters too. Larger safes tend to retain heat for a longer time, so it’s advisable to choose a higher fire rating for bigger safes.
4. Contents Value: Assess the total value of the items you plan to store in the safe. If you have valuable firearms, collectibles, or important documents, investing in a safer with a higher fire rating can provide added peace of mind.
5. UL Fire Ratings: Some safes come with Underwriters Laboratories (UL) fire ratings, which indicate the safes’ ability to withstand specific fire conditions. Pay attention to these ratings, which can help you make an informed choice.

1-hour is the standard criterion for a weapon locker. However, depending on your content inside the locker, the answer may vary. To have a correct answer, you need to discover the definition of the fire ratings and how to define the ideal figure for your locker.

How to read the fire ratings?

There are two aspects to the weapon cabinet burning scoring system. Interestingly, they come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. They are also far from standard across the industry.

“1 hour – 1200 degrees,” for example, is a common fire-resistance ranking. The “1 hour” refers to how long it can endure the temperature mentioned in the second section. 

So, 1 hour – 1200 degrees means that your locker can withstand the heat of 1200 degrees in one hour. 

• Time range: The time range varies from 30 minutes up to 3 hours for the finest safes. 
• Heat range: Most producers will first market the product’s heat limit, which is usually between 1200 and 2200 degrees. Technically, this is the heat level at which the inside of the locker hits 350 degrees.

How to identify the correct ratings for firearm safes?

To determine the fire rating of your weapon locker, you’d better ask yourself these questions:

• Does the vault include any electronic storage devices?
• Does the vault have paper?
• What is the price of the contents inside?
• Where do you keep: in a small room, a large house, or a big building?
• How long would it take the fireman to arrive at your position?

Consider the questions carefully to choose the right locker for your weapons

If you’re solely storing essential papers, you’ll need a 4-hour – 2,000 degrees safe with low enough heat to prevent the paper from getting burned. 

If you’re saving electronics or images, you’ll need a rating of 2-hour – 2,000 degrees. They are the highest temperatures that electronics, as well as other storage devices, should expose. 

If you’re installing the weapon locker in a small house in an urban location, a 30-minute fire-rated model will suffice. 

The locker can withstand higher temperatures than house fires, and the typical fire dept response time in a city is roughly 10 minutes.

Will A Gun Safe Survive A House Fire?

What Makes A Gun Safe Fireproof?

Any locker has to pass a test to get the burning ranking. Manufacturers always focus on specific aspects to make their products meet this safety standard.

You can consult the list of the most fireproof gun safes via this video.

When choosing the safe, you need to check every component. Make sure that the locker offers a high degree of burning resistance.

Here are some requirements to make the weapon locker fireproof. 

Fireboard

A fireboard is a barrier that exists within the locker’s depths. It’s essentially gypsum-based drywall. 

A fireboard is available in almost every home cabinet. A cabinet should have at least two to four layers of gypsum. The thickness of fire boards varies between 1/4 and 5/8 inches. 

The fireboard has dampness inside it. This moisture will release when the temperature reaches 262°F. As a result, the locker’s interior can stay cool.

A safe with multiple fireboard layers is ideal. Its cooling system will rise as the amount of layers increases.

A fireboard is available in almost every home locker

K-wool

K-wool comes from ceramic materials. It’s simply a thick blanket with high resistivity. 

The fibers help the material gain additional reinforcement. This material is popular in the safe-making industry thanks to its shock and heat resistance. 

This material has a limited heat storage capacity, making it perfect for usage in lockers. 

Steel sheets

Thin metal sheets form a solid layer for your locker. 

The interior of the vault should also have a fireproof layer. There should be no metal, except for the cutouts, because they are flammable.

FPC

FPC stands for Fire Protected Concrete. 

Concrete is a fire-resistant material. This material is prevalent in gun-safe construction. 

Concrete functions as insulation, stopping heat from entering the lock’s inside. You may get a vault that has FPC in the sidewalls and the door.

Concrete is a fire-resistant material

Fire seal

Fire seals sit on the locker’s door. In case of fire, the seal will expand. It can enlarge to ten times its initial size. 

When the seal opens, it makes a pathway for the smoke and fire to escape. 

The fire burns its way down the path, causing minor damage to your possessions. 

It’s also crucial to make sure the door is sturdy and thick. If not, fire will access the inside easily.

Firebox

Fireboxes are small lockboxes that can store valuables. You can put the boxes inside the locker to provide an added layer of security.

FAQs

Q: UL fire ratings for gun safes?

A: UL (Underwriters Laboratories) fire ratings for gun safes are a set of standards that measure a safe’s ability to withstand a fire. They indicate how long a safe can endure exposure to a specific temperature without its interior reaching a critical temperature that could damage the contents. Common UL fire ratings include 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, and 2 hours. For instance, a gun safe with a UL 60-minute fire rating can withstand a fire for one hour while maintaining a safe interior temperature. When choosing a gun safe, consider UL fire ratings to ensure your firearms and valuables remain protected during a fire.

Q: How does fire rating affect gun safe price?

A: The fire rating of a gun safe can significantly impact its price. Generally, safes with higher fire ratings tend to be more expensive. This is because safes with longer fire ratings require more advanced and robust construction to withstand higher temperatures for extended periods. The materials used, insulation thickness, and engineering play a crucial role in achieving higher fire ratings. While investing in a higher fire rating is advisable for enhanced protection, it’s essential to strike a balance between your budget and your security needs. Assess the value of the items you plan to store, your location’s fire risks, and your budget to determine the appropriate fire rating for your gun safe.

Q: Best fireproof safes for home use?

A: The best fireproof safes for home use depend on your specific requirements. However, some reputable brands and models known for their fire-resistant qualities include brands like SentrySafe, Honeywell, and First Alert. When choosing a fireproof safe, consider factors like fire rating, size, locking mechanism, and additional features like waterproofing. It’s essential to match the safe’s specifications with your needs, whether you’re safeguarding important documents, jewelry, or firearms. Conduct research and read reviews to find the best fireproof safe that suits your home security needs.

Q: Choosing the right size gun safe?

A: Choosing the right size gun safe is crucial to ensure it accommodates your firearms and other valuable items. To determine the appropriate size, consider the number and type of firearms you own, any additional items you plan to store (e.g., documents, jewelry), and future acquisitions. Measure the dimensions of your firearms and select a safe with interior space that comfortably fits them. It’s often advisable to opt for a slightly larger safe than your immediate needs to accommodate future additions. Additionally, consider the safe’s weight and dimensions to ensure it fits your intended location within your home.

Sizes of Gun Safes

Q: Fire-resistant vs. fireproof safes: What’s the difference?

A: The terms “fire-resistant” and “fireproof” are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings. Fire-resistant safes are designed to withstand fire for a specific duration without allowing the interior temperature to rise to damaging levels. They provide protection during a fire but not indefinitely. In contrast, “fireproof” is a term used to describe safes that offer higher levels of fire protection and can withstand more prolonged exposure to fire. While no safe is entirely fireproof, fireproof safes typically have longer fire ratings and provide enhanced fire protection for your valuables.

The Bottom Line

Professionals always advise purchasing a safe that can withstand heat for at least one hour. A gun safe can provide you with the assurance that your valuables are secure. As a result, make a point to choose a locker with certified fire resistance, which will ensure that your belongings are safe.

Hopefully, you will find this article helpful. If you need any information, don’t forget to leave it in the comments. Thank you for following this post!