In terms of fireproof safes, the first thing to know is that there’s nothing perfectly fireproof.
In fact, all the products available to the general buying public won’t offer any protection past more than but a few hours.
Luckily, the average fire lasts only about something like 20 minutes, and those who live in a major metropolitan area with a full-time professional fire department can assume even shorter times, but understand that nothing is going to provide excellent protection.
Absolutely nothing.
At least not on the general market, anyway.
For fireproof safes come in a certain range of models, with one highly variable specification being the size.
Thus, if you have massive banks of computers, row upon row, to safeguard – even whole floors and entire buildings of them – such as what many a computer data center has, you may get one that will protect them all.
Certainly, the floor or building itself could be, for all practical intents and reasons, a veritable safe in itself!
But even then protection will not be perfect; namely, it does not last forever.
Fire is an incredible thing.
Given sufficient fuel, it will just carry on burning, and with enough time, it will eradicate anything.
But in the here and now, most fireproof safes will serve the purposes for which they are designed.
That’s why when shopping for one, it’s important to know exactly how yours would be utilized.
For example, various ratings exist to describe the level of fire protection afforded.
These standards are devised and maintained by Underwriters Laboratories, maybe the most respected name in product safety certifications.
Here is an essential consumer tip, however, with respect to them: many inferior products will use the “UL” label but unless it specifically says “UL Listed” you should not assume that if has Underwriters Laboratories’ express authorization.