Classes of Safes

Safes and vaults provide you with a protected and private place to keep all of your valuables completely secured. With so many different types of safes available, Wellington Locksmiths can provide guidance for you in choosing the best safe that meets your unique needs. Whether you need a burglary safe, a fireproof safe, a safe that can handle electronic data storage, or any combination of the options, we want to make sure you get everything you need in the purchase of your new safe from our team of specialists.

…There are two basic classes of safes: Fire and Burglar

Fire safes, because of their construction are best suited to store non-negotiable documents and just a few valuables. Cash and high value items belong in a safe better suited against a burglary attack.

Fire Safes

Safes that protect against fire are usually made of thin steel sheets (or sometimes plastic) molded together to form an inner and an outer shell. These units are filled with an insulating material that will keep the temperature inside the safe below a certain point for a fixed period of time. Fire safes prevalent in the market today are usually one or two-hour rated safes.

There are several testing agencies throughout the world that certify these types of safes. Tests vary somewhat from agency to agency but usually include a time temperature test, explosion test, and impact or drop test. Every fire safe should be clearly marked with the name of the testing agency and the tests that were passed.

Burglary Safes

Burglary safes are made with two types of walls; steel walls with a thick inner matrix layer of concrete and other heavy materials. The concrete gives at least 1 hr. fire protection and contains plate steel on all sides – thinner walls with no fire protection. These safes are divided into categories based on the level of protection delivered and the testing endured; B-Rate, C-Rate, UL (Underwriters’ Laboratories) TL-15 and UL TL-30. Most jewelry stores buy these and they are popular among credit union safes.

To find out more about the testing of a particular safe refer to the sales literature or ask your dealer for details.

Questions regarding our safes or installation services? Give us a call at 561-795-6251 today to get started protecting your valuables with the security of a safe or vault!