Why do I need fire protection? How does it work?

Why?

Fire could destroy your business! In fact, eight businesses burn almost every hour in the United States resulting in nearly $1.5 billion in annual losses. Unfortunately, seven out of ten have not adequately protected their vital records.

Don't be one of those businesses that gets hit by fire and loses customer, personnel and tax files, accounts receivable and records of compliance. When that information is destroyed, a business often fails. Survival is possible, but preparation is necessary.

How long do you think paper records will last in standard cabinets, files or safes at 800° F? Or how much information will you be able to retrieve when a disk has been soaked in water? It's not just fire, but the resulting heat, smoke and water that must be guarded against, too. Schwab has developed quality insulated products that provide guaranteed protection against these elements for paper, diskettes, tape cartridges, CDs and all other forms of media in today's workplace.

The average business fire in the United States burns at approximately 800° F for 20 minutes. Schwab's insulated products are Underwriters Laboratory (UL) classified to provide protection at temperatures reaching 1700° F during a one-hour test. The UL label is assurance that Schwab products have passed the test. The Schwab label guarantees that the contents are safe.

Schwab uses Insulite insulation in every fire file. Insulite is the most efficient insulation on the market today and provides UL classified protection. Remember that thicker insulation does not mean better insulation. Insulite allows Schwab products to offer features like thinner walls, lighter weight and recessed handles without compromising fire protection. Schwab products look great, too. The seamless construction of Schwab products has a much more attractive appearance than the old cap and sleeve method. Each beautiful exterior comes in a variety of pleasing colors that make them an attractive addition to any office. Many interior options are also available to accommodate specific needs.

HOW?

In the fire-protection industry, almost all insulation performs its duty with the same purpose in mind: releasing moisture. In products storing paper records, this moisture cools the air, thereby lowering internal temperatures and protecting the items from drying out and charring. In products storing computer media, the moisture cools the air and, in turn, cools a second compartment in which the media is stored. This second compartment remains moisture and heat free, since the presence of either element would destroy the media. The biggest difference between Schwab products and those produced by our competition, is the type of insulation used for fire protection. While Schwab relies upon the guaranteed performance of Insulite, the competition utilizes standard "baked" insulation. Both are effective, but there is a world of difference between them. With the competition's standard insulation, getting the moisture content correct is half the battle. This insulation is first poured between the inner and outer walls of the product, then must be "oven-baked". Too much moisture after the initial bake will make the product rust and begin to produce a moldy smell. Too little moisture and the product's fire-protective capabilities are severely compromised. In addition, the moisture within the insulation evaporates over time, again compromising its purpose.

Why Bother?

By using Insulite, Schwab has completely eliminated all of the guesswork. Since the water in Insulite comes in a crystallized form, there is no unnecessary moisture and that means no rust and no moldy smell. After being poured between the inner and outer walls of the product, Insulite is chemically cured and then remains ready for action indefinitely. It releases moisture through chemical reaction from extreme heat only. That's why Insulite is the best insulation in the business and why all Schwab products bear UL classification. But Insulite has another big advantage over standard insulation. You may have heard that thicker is better. At Schwab, we'll tell you thicker is just heavier. Since Insulite is so effective, it allows Schwab products to have thinner walls, lighter weight and recessed handles without compromising protection.