Can Fireproof Safes Protect Hard Drives
Can a fireproof safe protect a hard drive? – this question is very common. Everyone has a PC or Mac nowadays. We use it for work and for private matters. With time we end up collecting an important and sensible data on our devises. This digital information becomes increasingly substantial and valuable. So naturally we want to protect it from harm.
The answer is yes. A Fireproof UL Class 125 rated safe will protect your hard drive from fire. As well as your USB flash drives and card memories. You must use a Data and Media Safe for this valuables, since they provide the necessary level of protection.
Let’s see which fireproof model will shield your hard drives against fire.
How a Fireproof Safe can Protect your Hard Drive
A reliable fireproof safe will protect your hard drive, USB flash drives and card memories from high heat of house fires. But it’s not every fire-resistant safe that will cope with the task. For hard drives you need to get a safe that has UL Class 125 rating. This rating in particular is the one that provides the necessary level of protection for such items.
What is UL Class 125 rating?
UL in the rating stands for Underwriters Laboratories. (a non-profit organization that tests numerous products to ensure they perform to a certain standard)
A certified UL Class 125 rating guarantees that the temperature within the inside container where all your valuables are will not exceed 125°F (52°C) for a certain length of time. The exact time depends on the specific model. You can find three Ul Class 125 models: 1- hour, 2-hours and 3-hours. Number of hours indicates for how long(duration) the safe will protect its contents.
Why is UL Class 125 rating needed?
Why 125°F (52°C) is so important? Because 125° is the temperature, which digital media cannot survive and at which will be destroyed.
Keep in mind that Ul Class 125 1- hour and 2-hour models will do their job only if the external temperature does not rise above 1700°F (927°C). 3-hour variation on the other hand is designed to withstand 1925° F (1052°C) external temperature. Which makes it the most reliable and secure model. At the same time average house fire temperature usually does not go higher than 1200°F.
Will USB and memory cards be protected in a safe?
Yes, just like with hard drives, USB flash-drives, CDs and memory cards will also be protected in a UL Class 125 models. This is the best defense from fire hazards available on the market and it has saved many people from loosing their important data stored on various drives.
Bonus tip – Use Waterproof Safes!
In case of digital valuables like hard drive, USB flash-drives, CDs etc. we also suggest using waterproof safes. You don’t want your precious contents survive the fire only to get ruined by water used by fire fighter team. Fortunately, most high quality safes do combine these two features together.
Conclusion:
You can definitely use and rely on a proper certified safes to protect your important data stored on hard drives and other carriers. Just be sure to check the specifications and choose a reliable manufacturer with proven resume. There are plenty of safes where you can’t even check the manufacturer info or background. Do not risk your valuables with such brands.
Stay safe and keep your home secured!
