MERIK SAFE Fire ratings described

How are safe and vault fire ratings determined?

Did you know that heat rises and that room temperatures are significantly higher at the ceiling during a fire? Did you know the average home fire is extinguished in about 30 minutes? These are important considerations when selecting a safe because the higher the rating...the more insulation required...resulting in a higher the safe or vault cost.

Fires start at the rate of approximately one every 60 seconds and result in billions of dollars in property damage every year .Please note that there are no safe and vault industry standards for fire ratings or fire testing. Tests are either performed by independent testing companies or by the individual factories themselves, occasionally having questionable results. In both cases the fire tests are conducted according to specific formulas and are measured by placing a thermal reading devices inside the safe or vault. Time exposure and relative heat rise will result in an accurate measurement or rating. The test ratings may be from 30 minutes at 1200 degrees Fahrenheit to as high as 2 hours at 1900 degrees Fahrenheit. 

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