Fire resistant safes for equipment
Jul 10, 2020 21:20:32 #
Out of curiosity, does anyone have plans for or actually use fire resistant safes for camera bodies, lenses, disk drives etc.
Jul 10, 2020 21:50:00 #
Simple answer is no. Partly because I never thought about it. My equipment is insured and while it would be an inconvenience, it can be replaced. We've moved several times since I retired from the Air Force & would hate to have to ship a safe of the size that would be required to store my equipment & backup hard drives.
Jul 10, 2020 21:57:10 #
We have a fire proof gun safe that has room for some other stuff....but no...I have not placed my camera equipment inside but I always keep my camera equipment on my kitchen table to quick access.
Jul 10, 2020 21:59:24 #
GLSmith wrote:
Out of curiosity, does anyone have plans for or actually use fire resistant safes for camera bodies, lenses, disk drives etc.
I pay for premium coverage well above face value for all my gear. If the items you mention are irreplaceable antiques or family heirlooms for example them I would go with a fire proof safe as opposed to a fire resistant safe. That's what I use for those sorts of items. Luckily for me I can't say how well it performs.
Jul 10, 2020 22:36:09 #
If I had a fire resistant safe, I'd put important documents in it (tax records, property deed, birth certificate, etc.), not lenses and cameras. If my home burned down, the safety of my camera equipment would probably not be my number one concern. Those things can eventually be replaced.
Jul 10, 2020 22:47:16 #
I have never seen a fire proof a safe. I have seen many ruined ones in the remains of homes in wildfire country with contents destroyed. Except in urban / suburban / areas with good fire department response times, where the residence has been saved and the fire quickly extinguished, I don't believe there is much that will work. Even the best safes I've have seen are time rated. I keep papers and some valuables in a remote location. Cameras share my life - life isn't safe!
Jul 11, 2020 00:16:40 #
jayluber
Loc: Phoenix, AZ
My camera and all my lenses go in the fireproof gun safe as soon as I get home. More for protection against thieves than fire, but fire as well. And as protection from my dog.
Jul 11, 2020 06:28:51 #
LWW
Loc: Banana Republic of America
quixdraw wrote:
I have never seen a fire proof a safe. I have seen many ruined ones in the remains of homes in wildfire country with contents destroyed. Except in urban / suburban / areas with good fire department response times, where the residence has been saved and the fire quickly extinguished, I don't believe there is much that will work. Even the best safes I've have seen are time rated. I keep papers and some valuables in a remote location. Cameras share my life - life isn't safe!
That's why they call them fire resistant.
They all have a rating for a certain amount of hours.
Jul 11, 2020 06:33:16 #
LWW wrote:
That's why they call them fire resistant.
They all have a rating for a certain amount of hours.
They all have a rating for a certain amount of hours.
Yes, the use of "fireproof" is not mentioned.
Jul 11, 2020 06:35:42 #
LWW
Loc: Banana Republic of America
traderjohn wrote:
Yes, the use of "fireproof" is not mentioned.
Essentially they are a glorified locking COLEMAN cooler.
A cooler won't keep your stuff cool forever, they aren't heat proof but they are heat resistant.
Jul 11, 2020 06:53:21 #
GLSmith wrote:
Out of curiosity, does anyone have plans for or actually use fire resistant safes for camera bodies, lenses, disk drives etc.
No.
Not worth having one.
Have a non fire resistant safe of sheet steel for firearms that would slow a burglar down until the cops come (Who knows now) with our alarm system.
Accidentally set it off and they were there in about 4 minutes. It would take longer than that to find my safe, let alone open it.
So no I do not keep cameras in a safe, we travel they are with us and when at home like them readily available.
Jul 11, 2020 06:54:11 #
GLSmith wrote:
Out of curiosity, does anyone have plans for or actually use fire resistant safes for camera bodies, lenses, disk drives etc.
I have a large F/R safe and keep valuables, papers, coins, guns but not camera equipment since they're insured under my H-O policy.
Jul 11, 2020 07:41:03 #
The goal of most safes is to keep papers safe, which means keeping them from getting above 350 degrees. Not sure most cameras would like that. I have a small fire-resistant safe which is used to keep a few handguns out of easy reach of thieves. I find that it gets very damp inside. I keep a small tub of Damp-Rid inside it.
Jul 11, 2020 07:58:44 #
billnikon
Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
GLSmith wrote:
Out of curiosity, does anyone have plans for or actually use fire resistant safes for camera bodies, lenses, disk drives etc.
NO, they hold moisture, the enemy of most photo equipment.
Jul 11, 2020 08:06:43 #
GLSmith wrote:
Out of curiosity, does anyone have plans for or actually use fire resistant safes for camera bodies, lenses, disk drives etc.
Yup, a big gun safe. Has all valuables including papers that would be hard to replace...
Edit. After reading all the other replies, I wanted to add. I have never had a moisture problem in the safe. For the things like guns, papers, cameras and lenses, so I am not sure why people think that condensation will be a problem. My safe is on a one level home, with minimal humidity. Right now it is 55% according to my certified hygrometer that sits in my living room.
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