DON'T BE FOOLED! THE TRUTH ABOUT FIRE RESISTANT BOXES

DON'T BE FOOLED! THE TRUTH ABOUT FIRE RESISTANT BOXES

Fire! The 4-letter word sure to strike terror in the heart of any collector. After all, when a fire starts it can only take seconds for a valuable, treasured collection to go up in smoke. So it's understandable that every collector wants to do whatever they can to protect their collection.

Which is why we were troubled recently when we saw a comic box promoted as being fire resistant.

It's important to be clear about some terminology. "Fire resistant" only means that the material the product is made of will resist burning up to a certain temperature. And while"fire proof" sounds safer, even that will not protect your collectibles.

It's important to remember that paper burns very easily because its flashpoint -- the temperature at which it ignites -- is very low, between 425 to 481 degrees fahrenheit depending on the thickness and type of paper. (Which means pulp paper is at the low end and cardboard is on the higher end.)

But wait, there is something more to consider. That's just the temperature at which it bursts into flame. Paper will still be damaged at a lower temperature when exposed to heat. That's why it is important to always store your comics and mags in a cool area. Even the heat of an attic will cause them to yellow prematurely.

In practical terms this means that even if the container they are stored in is fire-resistant, the contents will still get hot enough to be destroyed. Even most safes will not protect your collectibles. Safes are made of metal, which conducts heat easily, allowing the contents inside to get too hot.

So don't be misled when you are told something is fire-resistant. You best protection from fire is always taking fire prevention measures. And, of course, insurance. But that's an article for another e-mail.