Fire causes over 6 billion in property damages every year. The National Fire Protection Agency NFPA also reported that one home structure fire happens every 85 seconds. With alarming facts as these make sure you make the right choice.

The Best: Fire safes that are constructed with inner and outer steel plates enclosing a poured fire insulating material creating a seamless fire barrier. These safes offer superior fire protection and have been tested by either Underwriters Laboratories UL rating or Intertek ETL.

Better: Fire safes are constructed 2 to 4 assorted layers of gypsum board positioned throughout the interior body and door. These safes should be tested and verified by Intertek ETL.

Unverified: Fire safes are constructed 1 to 2 assorted layers of gypsum board positioned throughout the interior body and door. They typically offer a manufacturers independent fire rating, which may or may not be accurate.

When trying to determine how much safe fire protection you need, you need to consider your risks for a fire:

• Do you live in a fire-prone area like Golden Gate Estates where wildfires seem to occur on a frequent basis?
• Do you live in a rural area where, if you’re away, it might take hours before a home fire is discovered?
• Do you live in an older home that does not have the benefits of improved, flame-retardant building materials?
• Does your home have a fireplace or a gas line?
• Does your condo have an automatic fire sprinkler system?

AMSEC Uses Independent Lab Testing

U.L. Label/Class 350°F-one hour and Class 350°F-two hour. The safe will maintain an interior temperature less than 350°F when exposed to fire for a period of one hour at 1700°F or for a period of two hours at 1850°F. Safe must successfully undergo all other requirements for the Fire Endurance Test, Explosion Hazard Test and the Fire/Impact Test as stated below.

Fire Endurance Test

After heat sensors and paper are placed inside the safe, the unit is locked and exposed to a uniformly distributed fire. The furnace is regulated to reach a maximum temperature of 1700°F for a period of one hour, or 1850°F for two hours, then allowed to cool without opening the furnace. The interior temperature is recorded throughout the test and during the cooling period until a definite drop is shown and must never exceed 350°F.

Once cooled, the unit is opened and examined for usability. The units locking mechanisms and parts fastenings are examined for security and the interior examined for visible evidence of undue heat transmission.

Explosion Hazard Test

The safe is locked and placed into a furnace preheated to 2000°F. This temperature is maintained for 30 minutes (2 hour test is 45 minutes) and if no explosion results, the unit is allowed to cool without opening the furnace doors. Once cooled, the unit is opened and examined for usability. The units locking mechanisms and parts fastenings are examined for security and the interior examined for visible evidence of undue heat transmission.

Fire Impact Test

After the explosion hazard test the safe is removed from the furnace and within two minutes is dropped 30’ onto a riprap of brick on a heavy concrete base. After impact the unit is examined for deformation, rupture of parts, damaged insulation and any other openings into the interior of the unit. Once cooled, the unit is inverted and reheated to 1550°F for a period of 30 min. (2 hour test: 45 min. at 1638°F). Once cooled, the unit is opened and examined for usability. The units locking mechanisms and parts fastenings are examined for security and the interior examined for visible evidence of undue heat transmission.

AMSEC Uses Independent Lab Testing

ETL Testing Laboratories has been conducting performance and reliability tests since 1896. They are an internationally recognized with Labs in over 14 countries. Today Intertek ETL is the industry’s leading independent laboratory for gun safe fire testing.

When analyzing the fire performance of competitive gun safes, be sure to weigh reports from independent laboratories against unverified factory testing.

45-Minute Test

AMSEC’s FV Gun Safes are constructed 2 to 3 assorted layers of gypsum board positioned throughout the interior body and door. This superior fire protection was confirmed at ETL-Intertek, the industry’s leading independent laboratory for gun safe fire testing. When analyzing the fire performance of competitive safes, be sure to weigh reports from independent laboratories against unverified factory testingor un-tested claims.

During fire testing, ETL-Intertek kept our FV Gun Safes in their test oven for 45 minutes. Within 8 minutes, the furnace temperature was raised to 1200° F, and that temperature was maintained for the remainder of the 45 minute test. This method is consistent with the UL-72 fire test. Typical house fires only reach temperatures of 1100° F. A safe is considered to have failed this test if temperatures exceed 350°F anywhere in the safe. Our safe passed the test as internal temperatures never exceeded 350° F during the 45 minuteof testing. Paper typically starts to ignite at 450° F.

90-Minute Test

AMSEC’s NF Gun Safes are constructed 3 to 4 assorted layers of gypsum board positioned throughout the interior body and door. This superior fire protection was confirmed at ETL-Intertek, the industry’s leading independent laboratory for gun safe fire testing. When analyzing the fire performance of competitive safes, be sure to weigh reports from independent laboratories against unverified factory testingor un-tested claims.

During fire testing, ETL-Intertek kept our NF Gun Safes in their test oven for 1-1/2 hours. Within 8 minutes, the furnace temperature was raised to 1200° F, and that temperature was maintained for the remainder of the 1-1/2 hour test. This method is consistent with the UL-72 fire test. Typical house fires only reach temperatures of 1100° F. A safe is considered to have failed this test if temperatures exceed 350°F anywhere in the safe. Our safe passed the test as internal temperatures never exceeded 350° F during the 1-1/2 hours of testing. Paper typically starts to ignite at 450° F.

120-Minute Test

ETL-Intertek laboratory testing confirms that AMSEC’s BF® Gun Safes have superior fire protection for two hours at 1,200ºF. AMSEC’s BF Gun Safes use a proprietary fill material called DryLight, which offers exceptional fire protection without adding excess weight. This superior fire protection was confirmed at ETL-Intertek, the industry’s leading independent laboratory for gun safe fire testing. When analyzing the fire performance of competitive safes, be sure to weigh reports from independent laboratories against unverified factory testing or un-tested claims.

During fire testing, ETL-Intertek kept our BF Gun Safes in their test oven for two hours. Within 8 minutes, the furnace temperature was raised to 1200° F, and that temperature was maintained for the remainder of the two-hour test. This method is consistent with the UL-72 fire test. Typical house fires only reach temperatures of 1100° F. A safe is considered to have failed this test if temperatures exceed 350°F anywhere in the safe. Our safe passed the test as internal temperatures never exceeded 350° F during the two hours of testing. Paper typically starts to ignite at 450° F.