DIYbanter - View Single Post

wrote:
46erjoe wrote:
I've been disappointed in the fire ratings of household safes I have
seen in office supply stores. One $400 safe was effective for only
one hour at 1500 degrees. I wonder if there is a better way.

I don't need to keep valuables (I have very few of them) in a safe,
just important papers (car titles, military records, etc.) so I was
just wondering....

My home has a cinder block wall for a foundation. What if, down in
the basement, I chiseled out out a small 1' X 1' section that's below
grade, dug into the earth some, and then inserted some kind of steel
box in the hole, seal it to the wall and attach a
fiberglass-insulated door of some kind. Seems like this would be
cheaper and much more effective than any commercial job.

Problem with those safes unless they have changed is sure, the safe
itself is fireproof, but what can it do to the internal tempature of a
nasty fire? The papers will turn to powder when picked up. Maybe sink
the safe into the ground a few feet.

I bought an old house with a large 1899 (yes, 1899) Mohler safe in the
basement. When I had the manufacturer rep in to reset the combination, he
told me that it was a paper fire safe, and that its proper place was in the
basement. He said that basements rarely ever get really badly burned in a
house fire, and even if the whole house burned to the ground, the ash and
debris would insulate the safe so that the interior temp would never reach a
point that would incinerate my papers. Never was quite sure I believed him,
but I'm passing his comments along FWTW ---

My safe is wonderful - it looks like something out of Butch Cassidy & the
Sundance Kid. When I move it's going up on Craig's List because I'm
certainly not going to pay to move it!

--
nj_dilettante
in the words of the immortal Sgt Schultz:
~~ I know NOTH-THING ~~