A fireproof file cabinet is ideal for keeping your important documents safe from fire damage. Before you go out and buy one, read this handy guide on what to look for in a fireproof file cabinet and the best places to purchase one.
Every person or organization has important documents. Both at home and work, there are certain papers or records that are absolutely irreplaceable. Wills, insurance policies, contracts, letters, reports, portfolios, property titles, social security cards, client lists, customer information, financial documents… the list goes on. Even the regular day-to-day files that a business creates, amends or refers to are essential for normal functioning.
Now imagine losing those things to fire. Not a nice thought, is it? Don’t let yourself think that home or fire insurance is going to physically protect those documents, because it won’t. What you need, what every household and business needs, is a fireproof file cabinet, or several, to guarantee the safety of those documents in the tragic event of fire.
OK, so you know you need a fireproof file cabinet, now all you need is a list of things to consider when buying one. Here it is:
- Size: If you’ve got a simple collection of standard household documents, you can probably get away with a small, single-drawer, fire proof file cabinet. Businesses, however, may want to consider much larger multi-drawer units. Also think about the file size. Can you get away with a regular letter size, or will you need a legal size fireproof file drawer?
- Orientation: This basically means horizontal or vertical. And this depends on the space in which you intend to put the cabinet. Fire resistant vertical file cabinets are fairly standard, but some places sell cabinets with the drawers arranged in a horizontal row. Some units are modular so you can arrange them in any configuration that you like.
- Function: There is a big difference between a regular secure document storage unit for a typical business and fireproof storage cabinets for hospitals. This affects where you’re going to find the cabinet and how much it costs. A wall mount fireproof lab cabinet, for example, is going to be more expensive and rarer than your typical fire resistant file cabinets.
- Locking or Non-Locking: A fire proof locking file cabinet serves two security functions: it keeps your documents safe from both fire and prying eyes. This is an important feature to consider, because if there is a fire, the general security of your space may be compromised and there may be people wandering about that you don’t want accessing your papers.
- Mobility: Most people don’t need to regularly move an entire cabinet of files, but it is a consideration. Mobile filing and storage cabinets give you greater ease of use and versatility in terms of office arrangement. And in the event that you do have to move it, you’ll be very thankful. Only a hide-a-bed rivals a filing cabinet in moving frustration.
- Water Resistance: It doesn’t matter that you don’t live on the banks of a fickle river. Remember that in the event of a serious fire, there’s going to be water damage as well, delivered either by overhead sprinklers of firehoses. There are combination fireproof / water resistant file cabinets available, and the extra expense may be well worth it.
- Aesthetics: Standard metal filing cabinets have always been more functional than attractive, but there are cabinets that do actually look nice. Fireproof decorative file cabinets are not, for obvious reasons, made of wood, but you should be able to find a color and style of metal cabinet that suits your space.
- New or Used: Office furniture is not cheap. Consider searching local liquidators, used office supply stores or online for second hand fireproof filing cabinets. You don’t need to pay top dollar for top safety.
- Certification: Make sure that what you’re buying is certified by a reputable organization. Fire proof cabinet certification in the United States is normally done by Underwriters Laboratory, or UL. In order to meet UL standards, a cabinet must normally be able to sustain a specific internal temperature for one hour with an external temperature of 1700 degrees Fahrenheit. Look for the UL fireproof certification and you’ll probably see other specifications for things like impact resistance.
One important final question that people ask is about the difference between fireproof and fire resistant filing cabinets. In truth, a truly fireproof cabinet does not exist. Fireproof means that something will not and can not ever burn. Any cabinet and its contents will, however, if subjected to a hot enough fire for long enough, burn. The UL rating on the cabinet actually refers to its level of fire resistance.
So where can you find fireproof file cabinets?
Our favorite place to find new fireproof filing cabinets is Office Depot. Not only do they have great prices, but they also have a great selection of top file cabinet brands, including FireKing, SentrySafe, and more. Over 100 models are available at this writing, which means there is a good chance that you will find the right filing cabinet for your office. Best of all, Office Depot even offers free next day delivery on orders over $50, so you can get your fireproof filing cabinet in a hurry at no extra charge.
Now, if you are interested in used fireproof file cabinets, one of the best places to look is on eBay. As the world’s largest Internet auction site, eBay has thousands of listings for office furniture, including fireproof file cabinets. Using their powerful search tools, you can easily find a fireproof file cabinet that fits your decor, workspace, and budget. And because it’s an auction, you can often find some amazing deals that you can’t find at your local office supply store.
This article should put you on the right track toward finding the proper security for your valuable documents. Visit eBay browse the huge variety of options available. Be prepared, because no insurance policy has the power to reassemble ashes.
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