Safes offer varying levels of fire and burglar resistance. The Underwriters Laboratory (UL) tests and labels safes and locks for their level of heat resistance and durability.

To test safes for theft resistance, the UL subjects them to picks and blow torches. The UL uses the TL15 and TL30 designations to indicate safes that withstand 15 and 30 minutes of drilling, respectively.

The UL also tests safes to see how secure they are in a fire. Testers heat safes in a furnace for half an hour or more to see how the contents fare. Safes that pass this test can maintain an interior temperature of less than 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Designated record safes, these models will protect paper documents from 1700 degrees Fahrenheit heat for up to four hours.

You may also want to see how a safe will fare if it is dropped. In a fire, a safe may fall through the floor, break open, and spill the contents you are seeking to protect. The UL also indicates whether a safe can survive a 30-foot impact, which simulates a fall of three stories.