It is a common question as many choose to keep money in safe. So is it secure to store cash and will it be damaged in case of a fire emergency?
The answer depends on what kind of safe is used for this purpose. There are various types that provide different level of protection. In general, you should use at least an UL Class 350 strongbox in order to secure hard cash and other paper documents. If you would like to increase the safety use UL Class 125 safes. Obviously, they are more expensive. However, if you are planning to keep considerable amount of funds inside it can be worth it.
But be sure to have at least the UL Class 350 rating on your safe. Let’s take a closer look at those.
UL Class 350 model comes in two variations: 1-hour and 2-hours. They are both designed to preserve the paper assets when exposed to external fire. But the UL Class 350 2-hour offers a higher level of protection. You can subject it in external temperatures of over 1700°F(927°C), and the temperature inside the box will not go higher than 350°F (175°C) for at least 2 hours.
An average temperature during a house fire is around 1150°F(600°C) in hotter spots, i.e. roof and ceiling. And it is typically lower at floor levels, around 220°F (100°C). But don’t forget that every emergency is a separate case and conditions may vary. As you can see, the above-mentioned safes can cope with such emergencies. However if the fire lasts longer or the heat exceeds those values the cash will be damaged or burn.
Conclusion
So the answer to the question – will cash burn in a fireproof safe is No. But only if it is has at least an UL Class 350 rating and the house fire doesn’t exceed the specification values for a specific model. To secure your money even more we recommend choosing between UL Class 125 certified variants. We will cover those in our next post.
