freezer as fire safe?

Are there any firemen out there that would know if money or other papers stored in a refrigerator's freezer compartment would survive a house fire? Let's assume it's 1/2 full of frozen foods and the kitchen is destroyed such that money surely wouldn't have survived in the cabinets or on the counter but perhaps the house didn't completely collapse and turn to ash. I'd think firemen would know in general how fridges survive fires from seeing a few after fires.

I have been to many house fires that had food remaining in the chest type freezers. As long as the unit isn't in the most direct heat for 20 minutes, it normally has items still frozen in bags. I think the key is that its an air tight compartment and fire needs oxygen to burn. Plus the fact that it takes an edge to get a fire started inside, keeps the open burning out of the inside. Good idea if a safe isn't available or affordable. I would double bag everything made out of paper though!

Freezers were not designed as firesafes. Firesafes have a lining designed to disipate heat by breaking down, giving off water. Freezers are simply foam insulation.

Freezers are also one of the first places thieves will look for money.

Yea, it's kinda like if your going to keep a bit at home why not put it in there under some frozen food. Better than being on the counter. I've accepted it's probably the first place a burglar would look. But lately I've been wondering how much better than on the counter.

Well, on the other hand, a small fire proof safe they would just pick up and walk
off with, without opening, so six of one and half a dozen of the other I guess!

You wouldn't perchance be a former Congressman from New Orleans? ;o)

small safes come completely ready to bolt down. i did that with mine.

Mine came with holes to bolt it down too Tom, but the holes in mine went all the way through from the inside.
As Dave said a sealed compartment keeps oxygen out, and fire needs oxygen to burn.
I bought a more expensive one that is sealed, and bolts to the floor from the outside,
not from the inside. It's 6 feet tall and holds firearms too, but that's just a bonus. LOL

Yes he could be looking for a place to store his $50,000 yearly congressional pension he is going to get even while living on our tax dollars in his codo prison camp.

I wish.

We had one and built it into the basement cement wall. My dad also had a freg just to keep mice out of old records, books and papers. I still have them in an old freezer. Manuals on an Oil Pull Rumely, and old IHC binders.

How much money are you talking about? You can put your money on deposit at a bank. Or do you fear banks? Home owners insurance will not cover cash in case of fire, check your policy. A freezer would seem a good option, just pack the money in a bag of frozen corn or something.

Most modern fridges and freezer are destroyed in a fire, an ammo box inside of multiple layers of type x drywall works ok. 2 or 3 layers of type x 5/8 in an area that has a fire service will get most stuff through.

NO

The logic here is that freezers are insulated, insulation protects from heat, and fire is hot...

Unfortunately, modern refrigerators are made from VERY combustible materials.

You'd be fine as long as the flames don't get to it, but once they start licking at the fridge, it's all over.

Fireproof boxes are only about $20. Put your money in that, then put that in the freezer if your idea is to hide it.

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts. I might keep $200 here at times so I have some cash on hand for an emergency. I'm not afraid of banks just like to have a bit of actual cash on hand.

The freezer is convenient and something my parents and grandparents did before me. I just began to wonder about the wisdom there and when I Googled for an answer I found nothing I noted as credible and the opinions varied widely. So I hoped to hear from some firemen who've probably could speculate from what they've seen. I'd have to guess that a fridge is still mostly identifiable after most home fires even if the roof collapsed. But I've never seen a fridge after a fire and I don't know if as some folks say the insulation burns and the food that was inside is incinerated or if the labels on the frozen pizza boxes can still be read.

I have a small (about 1 foot cube) firesafe sitting in the floor of my office. Not much in it but the title to my car and a copy of last years tax returns. I leave the key in it as I don't want a thief to take it. I hope he'll open it and notice there is nothing he can buy crack with in it and thus leave it rather than assume because it's locked it's full of diamonds and carry it out.

The fridge is more convenient for the cash and perhaps less likely to be found in there under the frozen peas than in the safe. That'd be a good question for a police officer. When investigating burglaries do you notice they usually empty the freezer? Which would be a sign they search for cash there.

A fridge will usually survive a room/contents fire if it's not subjected to direct flame... but if you get a fully involved fire it's not going to survive.
Why not just go to Staples or wherever and buy a 'fire safe'. Seems to me that they were mabey 200 bucks for a decent size one. Bolt it down. Combo lock.... and it's fire resistant. I don't know that they're absolute as not too much is when it's put through a good inferno... but it'd be better than nothing.

Rod

Chris,Ive been around 2 mobile home fires[2 brother-inlaws}both had money in them and the money was not secured and was never burnt,just scorched.Money is made from the tuffiest paper I know of

jimmy