# Fire-proof envelopes: is there such a thing?



## stef (Sep 14, 2002)

In case you wanted to stash important papers in your house. 
I'm not asking about fire-proof, or fire-resistant _boxes_, but envelopes.

Ever hear of any?


stef


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Nope. They would be worthless. The gypsum in fireproof boxes decomposes into a different form and water vapor when heated. The water vapor is what acts as the fireproofing (converting to water vapor takes the heat energy, and the steam dissipates more energy outside). There would be no room in an envelope for a material to do a similar task.

The closest you could get to an envelope is to take a sheet of gypsum board and cut it down to size and sandwich the document between two pieces. However, being thin, it wouldn't protect for more than fifteen or twenty minutes.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

I doubt if there is such an item. Even if an envelope were made that would keep its contents from burning, it would not be able to protect the contents from the heat of a fire. Heat...without flame...will easily char paper to a crisp blackness.

Even gun safes, which are insulted and fireproof, are only rated to protect their contents for 30 minutes to an hour or so from the damage caused by heat.


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## stef (Sep 14, 2002)

Thanks. No harm in asking. 


stef


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## 10ecn (Mar 12, 2010)

I read once, that an airtight ammo can, inside a refridgerator, would protect documents. I have no personal experience (and don't want any) with this, nor does anyone I know. It's just an idea. Always seem to hear of unusual things surviving house fires, so there well may be something that will do the trick.


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## jtjf_1 (Nov 7, 2009)

Put them in the freezer. Safest place in a fire. The insulation and the ice allow most freezer items to make it through a fire. And usually your freezer is on concrete so no worries of it falling through the floor and getting lost.


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