| For precious possessions and vitally important | | | | or ULC in Canada) label on any fire safe before |
| documents, the optimal safeguard against burglary | | | | buying. It will indicate how long the unit can |
| and fire is a safe-deposit box at your local bank. | | | | withstand a fire and how high the interior |
| But most of these safe-deposit boxes are too | | | | temperature may go. |
| small for bulky objects, and too inconvenient for | | | | Burglary Safes: The most secure burglary safes |
| frequently used items like financial records and | | | | are UL or ULC rated models, which weigh 800 |
| computer disks. The best way to protect such | | | | pounds or more; they are primarily designed for |
| articles is to store them in a safe in your | | | | business use. Safes designed for the home tend |
| residence that is burglar and/or fire resistant. | | | | to be lighter and less expensive, but they are also |
| Before choosing a safe, decide whether you are | | | | more vulnerable, able to withstand |
| concerned more about burglary or fire, since few | | | | sledgehammers, drills and pry bars for only a few |
| safes protect against both. Burglary safes have | | | | minutes. When purchasing a safe for the home, |
| thick steel bodies, combination locks, and hardened | | | | be sure the unit has a concealed hardened-steel |
| steel bolts, but papers inside may char in a fire. A | | | | plate to protect the lock and bolts, and bolts or |
| fire safe has a double shell of thin sheet metal | | | | steel hooks that secure the hinge side of the |
| filled with insulation. Some have reinforced doors | | | | door. |
| and combination locks, but thieves can crack | | | | You may want your dealer to install mounting |
| them by peeling away the sheet metal. | | | | brackets on the unit, to enable you to bolt the |
| Fire Safes: The insulation in fire safes actually | | | | safe to the floor to prevent burglars from carting |
| contain up to 30 quarts of water, which is | | | | it away. Try to choose an inconspicuous or |
| released as steam in a fire to absorb heat. The | | | | concealed location for the safe - beneath a |
| vapor filters through vents inside and outside the | | | | stairway or behind a false electrical panel, for |
| safe and may crumple and discolor papers, but | | | | example. If you have a security system installed, |
| they will remain legible and flexible enough to | | | | try to protect this area with a photoelectric, |
| handle. Look for the Underwriters Laboratory (UL, | | | | infrared, or microwave motion sensor. |