Are gun safes waterproof? Our customers ask this question often and the truth is, there are NO gun safes that are truly "waterproof". These same consumers are often misled by other companies and safe manufacturers that a waterproof gun safe exists. They claim that they have a seal around the door that will keep water out. Most good gun safes today use a "Palusol Seal" around the door named for the inventor. This expanding door seal expands to 5-7 times its size in the event of a fire. It is activated in temperatures between 212-302 degrees F.
The design of this seal is to keep heat and smoke from entering the inside of the safe. Don't be misled into thinking this seal will keep water out of your safe. It won't! The only real way to make a gun safe waterproof is to fully seal it. If it were fully sealed, there would be a large buildup of pressure with no way for it to escape. The way that fire material works on all safes with a fire test rating is that they pump moisture into the safe and actually create a "cloud of steam".
The Laws of Physics dictates that "steam" will not exceed 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that all the contents in the safe that are paper products including money will not burn. With nowhere for the steam to go, you are essentially creating a giant bomb by fully sealing your gun safe. With no gun safe truly being waterproof, what can do you do to keep your items nice and dry?
There are two options for making sure that your items are "waterproof" in your gun safe.
1. Since the inside of the safe is in a "cloud of steam" in a fire, any sensitive items should be put into a double zip lock bag that is designed for boiling vegetables in water. The inside of the safe should not exceed 200 degrees Fahrenheit or so. These zip lock bags can usually take up to 250 degrees Fahrenheit of temperature and will do an ample job of protecting sensitive documents or other items that need to be protected from moisture. Purchase these zip lock bags at any local grocery store. You can also store sensitive items in Tupperware containers.
2. Purchase a smaller safe that has been designed as a "waterproof" safe and has a waterproof test. Make sure to figure out which items that need protecting from water damage so that you can purchase a safe large enough to protect them.
Take a look at our large selection of small waterproof safes which you can put inside your larger gun safe. This way your items will be protected from any water damage.
Just follow these 5 steps:
- Think about which items you will be storing in the safe and which ones need to be kept dry.
- Select and purchase a gun safe that fits your needs for the amount of rifles you have as well as other items. You can find a large selection on our website including brands such as AMSEC, Browning, Hayman and more.
- Decide if you need some zip lock bags or Tupperware containers for your items.
- Or select and purchase a waterproof safe that will fit inside the gun safe.
- You will have peace of mind that your items are well protected from burglars, water damage and fire.
