DOCUMENTS, VALUABLES, and FIREARMS:  To be considered a fire resistant safe, the internal temperature the contents of a safe can reach is 350°, as chosen by the UL. Through strict testing, the product is heated to a temperature usually above 1400° F, for up to four hours, then cooled naturally. In order to be UL certified as fire resistant, the safe's contents must at no time during the test be heated above 350° F. This ensures that important paper documents will not be destroyed by the intense heat of a fire.
COMPUTERS and MEDIA: UL testing discovered that Media products such as a CD can withstand temperatures of up to 125° F and humidity of 80% for short periods of time without losing the information they contain. Media safes are heated to temperatures above that of an average household fire for a given amount of time, either a half hour, one hour, two hours, or longer, depending on the desired rating. In order to be UL certified, the contents must be functional after the test is completed, and at no time during the test may the contents of the safe exceed 125° F
Protect the contents of your safe from IMPACT: In the event of a fire, there is a good chance that debris may fall on your safe, or worse yet, a structural collapse could cause it to fall a significant distance. Impact resistant safes are UL certified to resist being damaged by falling debris or being dropped up to 30 feet, effectively protecting whatever you have stored inside. Impact resistant safes generally go through the same testing as fire resistant safes, but are then put through an additional set of tests. To simulate a structural collapse that might occur during afire, safes are dropped 30 feet onto broken concrete and other debris after being put through standard fire resistance tests. Then, to accurately simulate the events of a fire, the safe is turned over and reheated. Once the product has re-cooled, it is opened and dismantled. The UL testers examine the insulation material, the condition of the finish on the inside, the fastenings between parts, and the working condition of locking mechanisms. In order for a safe to qualify as impact resistant, the contents must be protected through all of these tests and still be in working condition.