When it comes to natural disasters, everyone is worried about something slightly different based on their own personal experiences and fears. If you have survived a hurricane, wind might be your thing; flood victims, fear rising waters; and, in some parts of the world, drought is the biggest killer. But anyone who has survived a house fire knows the devastation of being forced to choose what, if anything, it is possible to save, out of a lifetime of precious possessions, while the rest goes up in smoke. Yes, there is insurance, but if you have never been through the claims process and had to replace your worldly goods, trust us: you don’t want to.

While Pro Locksmiths cannot ensure fire safety in your home or business, fortunately, we can provide the very best in fire-resistant safes to protect the most important of all your possessions, whatever you might deem those to be. As Toronto’s most trusted residential locksmith, we know our products and we have curated the best collection of high-quality safes in the business, to meet all your needs. And we carry commercial-grade products to help keep your company safe, too. While today’s best safes come in many sizes, security ratings, styles and types, in this article we will focus on what you need to know about safes that keep your goods protected against fire.

Fire ratings and how they work

Among the many confusing numbers related to safes is the fire rating. When purchasing any type of safe, we recommend that you look for a certified fire rating of at least 1 hour. The reason for this is that, depending on the severity of the fire and the speed with which it moves through your home or business, heat could linger long after the flames are actually quenched.
One concern people have about purchasing a truly high quality fire resistant safe is price. While it’s hard to put a price on priceless or delicate documents, photos, keepsakes and valuable inheritances, one piece of advice would be to purchase a fire safe document box to place within a larger safe. It’s like an extra form of fire retardant protection-within-protection for the crème de la crème of papers, cash or mementos that you would never be able to replace in the event of a fire.

Get the skinny on fire seals, heat resistance and more

Because you aren’t an expert on safes, you might not be aware of the importance of the fire seal on your safe’s door. The fire seal serves a dual purpose, keeping rot- and rust-causing moisture out of your safe under normal conditions and expanding during a fire to keep smoke out, and prevent water from entering the safe while the fire is being extinguished. The fire seal should expand enough to completely seal the space between the safe door and the frame.
Fire seals aren’t the only insider knowledge you’ll get when you come into our fully stocked showroom to see a demo and speak with a home security expert. We’ll give you the real, straight goods on such concepts as:

• “Fireproof” safes (there is no such thing)
• The difference between a fire resistant safe and a burglar-defeating one
• Why you shouldn’t store large amounts of cash or jewels in a fire resistant safe
• What safe options are best to protect your sensitive data on flash drives, disks, DVDs and the like

If you’re thinking of a home safe to store your guns, precious gems, papers or other valuables, give us a call or visit us in person at our conveniently located showroom. One of our home security experts would be happy to help you compare models and find the best fire resistant safe for your home or business needs.