What part of a home is least likely to be damaged in a fire?

Ronda93

DIS Veteran
Joined
Oct 6, 2000
Messages
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This is an pessimistic question, but what part of a home would be least damaged by a house fire?

I have a "fireproof" security box. I quote that because I've heard they don't really stand up to a long fire. I have documents and backups of photos in there and want to put it in the place that offers the best survivability.

I've heard basements are bad because the structure can collapse and it becomes hotter still.

Anyone have insight on this?

Thanks,
Ronda
 
I would have to see the layout of the home to guess. How many floors etc.

Bury it in the back yard!

Mikeeee
 
the oven! you bake stuff in it and the outside wont burn, so i think the same would work the other way.:thumbsup2
 

My guess is in the room least likely to burn, then put it in the corner of that room which borders a window/the outside. That way heat can escape via the window and won't overcome your box.
 
I would think there would be to many variables. For instance it makes a difference if you have slab house, crawlspace house, basement, 1 story, 2 story, 3 story, location of furnace, hot water heater, stove, and other fire hazards. Then think about things like gas cans in your garage and ammunition. The cause and location of the fire comes into play also.
 
In the Safe deposit box at the bank. If it's the duplicate photos that you're concerned about - maybe leave a set with another relative and you can do the same for them.
 
If a fire breaks out in your home while you are away and/or if the doors and windows are all shut, the heat will quickly build up in all areas of the house until it vents to the outdoors either by windows and doors being opened or broken or by the fire department cutting a hole in your roof, which is intended to allow heat and smoke to escape as in a chimney.

Generally speaking, heat rises so the lower the safe is, the better chance it has. If any part of the house collapses in on it, the heat will still want to vent upward. There are no guarantees, but if your safe is fireproof (they are not all equal, so go with the highest rating) and waterproof, keeping it low should be the best. It may have to be dug out from under debris, but it and everything in it should survive. If it has been exposed to extreme temperatures for an extended period, you may need to let it cool a few days before it will open.
 
Unfortunately house fires start in every room of the house. A room further away from the ignition point will be safer, because it'll start burning last.

I would guess the floor of an interior hallway closet (without any electrical in it or wires running right next to it) would be the safest (with the doors closed of course)
 
My house caught on fire in Dec 1998 and there is no one place that was less damaged than another. I had a good chuckle at the idea of putting it in your oven, while logistically this makes sense if I were a fire investigator and there was a house fire and I found the persons security box in the oven it would raise a red flag because why would your security box be in your oven? The best place for irreplaceable treasures is a safety deposit box. If you have room in your house to do this another idea is to build another larger metal box and either line it with insulation or make it like a double pane window and fill the middle of the two "panes" with foam insulation and then put your security box inside of this and put it in a basement if you have one, because while your house may collapse inward on itself during a fire heat rises and it will be the heat, not the fire that harms the contents of your box...
 
While the oven seems like a pretty logical place I'd have to say that your fireplace is the most fireproof spot. I've seen many a house burn to the ground and the fireplace is almost always left standing.

In all seriousness you should get a digital copy of your photos and store it on a portable hard disk drive along with scans of any important documents. You can get many official documents certified in a digital format.

This can be stored in a fireproof box along with other valuables and will most definitely stand up to pretty intense heat. Keep the box in your home's lower levels near the center of your home as heat ultimately disperses from the source of the fire. You ultimately want it in the space most likely to burn first.

Call your local fire department and get their recommendation. I can only recommend based upon physics.
 
Fireproof means the box itself, not the stuff in it. If the stuff gets hot enough, it will burn inside the box.

I'd make copies of important stuff and store it in a safety deposit box.
 
You are supposed to put a firebox in the lowest area of your house so it does not fall far if floors collapse.
Mine's in the basement freezer.
 
I keep all my important stuff in the safety deposit box at the bank-important papers, updated videotape of the rooms in the house, jewelry I'm not currently wearing. I use Walmart.com to upload my digital pictures so that there is a copy there as well as at home...you only have to make a purchase from them once per year to keep storing them there. I also have a thumb drive that I update to from my home computer.
 
You are supposed to put a firebox in the lowest area of your house so it does not fall far if floors collapse.
Mine's in the basement freezer.

So...your assets are frozen?;)
 
I was told by the woman who did my trust/will that if you don't have a safe deposit box*which I don't yet* to put it in the freezer. The cold and insulation make it one of the best places to put something. I actually have my fireproof safe IN my extra freezer downstairs. I figure I can't be toooooo careful.
 
i've known people to tape them to the inside of the toilet tank.

makes sense-when you see homes on the news that are devastated by fire there's more often than not an in-tact toilet still sitting where the bathroom once was.
 
Something not to be overlooked is to take every precaution to avoid a fire in your home. While not a guarantee, there is a lot than can be done or checked on a regular basis to minimize the chance of fire. Most fire departments offer information on fire prevention and that's a good place to start. A lot is just common sense.
 












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