When we hear the words home security most of us will automatically think of thieves and burglars which then gets us thinking about burglar alarms, strong door and window locks and maybe even CCTV cameras. Whilst home security is about protecting you home and property within from thieves it is also about protecting your valuables from loss and damage from things like fire – you wouldn’t want to lose very important documents relating to your house or car, photographs that hold precious memories or even your birth certificate or passport.
When it comes to protecting those precious and even valuable documents, you want them to be secure if the unthinkable does happen within your home. Putting things in a safe seems the right choice, but unless that safe is fireproof (therefore very expensive) that will only protect your documents from being stolen, borrowed or lost. A fireproof document box will keep those valuable documents under lock and key, out of the way of prying eyes and sticky fingers and, most importantly, will protect them from damage in the case of a house fire.
Burg-Wächter is Europe’s largest internationally leading manufacturer of locks, entry controls, window protection, safes and letter boxes, all designed to keep your valuables and home protected. They offer a wide range of security products and kindly sent me their FP22K Fireproof Document Box for review.
The Burg-Wächter FP22K Fireproof Document Box is a lockable fireproof box that can hold A4 documents (no binders, just A4 sheets) and resist temperatures of up to 1093 degrees Celsius (approx. 2000 degrees Fahrenheit) for approximately 30 minutes. This fireproof box will protect against documents burning or getting heat damage. It has a handy carry handle for easy manoeuvrability (it weighs approx. 9kg before adding anything into it) but for added security it can be fixed to the floor.
Burg-Wächter FP22K Fireproof Document Box features:
- 30 minutes fire resistance up to 1093°C (approx. 2000°F)
- The box will fit up to A4 sized documents for safe keeping
- Double walled construction for protection from removal and fire
- Prepared for ground anchoring for screws up to a maximum of 6mm
- Includes 2 keys
- Capacity: 5.6 litres
Did you know that a typical house fire can reach temperatures of between 800°C (1500°F) and 1093°C (2000°F)? Therefore, if you have valuable documents (monetary or sentimental) in your house you really do need a fireproof box to help protect them. It is probably something that you have never ever thought of purchasing, and hopefully will never need to put it to the test, but it is a good investment for those important documents such as house deeds, your last will and testament, identity documents such as birth certificate or passport, insurance paperwork etc. After a fire, buildings can be repaired, televisions, laptops and furniture can easily be replaced but valuable documents are a lot harder to sort out and precious memories such as photographs can’t be, so protecting them as best you can is a very good idea.
The Burg-Wächter FP22K Fireproof Document Box is a certified UL 72 Class 350 fireproof box and is guaranteed to protect paper documents within it for 30 minutes (the paper won’t burn or suffer any heat damage). It has an external measurement of 155x 280x410mm (HxWxD) and an internal measurement of 85x225x315mm (HxWxD), it has a 5.6 litre capacity and weighs approx. 9kg. It has a portable briefcase design with a carry handle (its light enough to move around and pick up to open but quite heavy if holding or carrying for any length of time), and for added security it can be fixed to the floor (fixings bolts are not included and it is part prepared for floor fixing – you will have to drill through if you want to secure to the floor). It has a lock with 2 keys supplied and is constructed from toughed plastic fireproof polymer.
Overall, the Burg-Wächter FP22K Fireproof Document Box is a solidly constructed box. It is heavier than I excepted and quite thick. It is roughly A4 size inside, storing A4 sized papers without folders (the paper does curl up very slightly in each corner if not folded).
We all have very important documents that we would be lost without and make life very hard trying to replace them or even prove identity or make insurance claims, so protecting them is a must and a fireproof document box is a great way to do so.
It is a fireproof document box not a safe. Whilst it keeps documents safe from fire and heat damage for up to 30 minutes it would not stop a very determined thief from breaking the lock and gaining entry – but it is not designed as a safe but a box to protect important documents from the ravages of fire.
For extra security it does come with part prepared floor fixing, you have to drill through the part prepared hole inside the box and then fix to the floor with 6mm screws and corresponding washers (these are not supplied). It is part drilled because it maintains the fire resistance when it isn’t anchored in place on the floor.
At 9kg it is light enough to move around, for most people, from one place to another, but can get quite heavy if carrying for longer periods of time. It does have a carry handle that makes it easier.
If you are serious about protecting not just your home and contents but those extremely important documents, then you really should have a fireproof document box. The Burg-Wächter FP22K Fireproof Document Box is a very good solid box with double walled fire and heat protection at high temperatures. Burg-Wächter are experts in their field with over 120 years experience in security so you can rest assured that the document box will keep your important paperwork protected and safe.
I haven’t set fire to my house to test the fireproof qualities, but it has been tested by UL – USA and has a fire certificate of UL 72 Class 350 – 1/2 Hour (giving it 30 minutes fire resistance protection in temperatures up to 1093°C (approx. 2000°F) – so I am confident that it will do what it says it can.
I think that this is an excellent quality, sturdy and strong fireproof document box. I would have preferred slightly bigger internal dimensions to hold A4 sheets in envelopes or folders with a bit of room and not so tightly packed but most of my important paperwork has already been folded so fits in quite nicely anyway. It has quite a bit of space inside, enough for all those important documents and more.
You will have important documents that you would be lost without and need storing securely so investing is a fireproof document box is a smart decision.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £70
For more information, visit uk.burg.biz. Available to buy from Amazon here.
Disclosure: I received this item for free for the purposes of writing an honest and impartial review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review uses an affiliate link which I may receive a small commission from if you purchase through the link.
