Oliver Jenkins's blog

Locking Secure Mail Boxes for Apartments

Anyone who has lived in an apartment knows how each tenant has their very own mailbox that can't be accessed by anybody other than themselves. Mostly, boxes are typically installed inside a section of the structure. Dependant upon the number of units it has to serve the mail box unit could take up a large part of any wall. Some communities have cluster mailboxes that sit outside in the middle of the apartment buildings, as well.

The letter carrier has a difficult task to take on, to assure that all mail is delivered into the applicable mailbox. Even so, they don't have the time to open each and every box and insert the mail separately. What they do have available is one large opening, that generally opens at the back of the unit through a master door, which allows them access to all of the personal mail boxes at the same time. They just open the door and can see the many insides of all mailboxes there. Following that they can place the mail straight into each box independently. Bigger items which do not fit into this area may be brought to the apartment doorway of the addressee or, often, simply left on the floor in front of the residence mail box.

In a number of mail boxes for apartment rentals, there is also a slot into which outbound mail pieces can be placed for pick up. This offers protection for the outgoing mail and causes it to become available only to the letter carrier. Without this type of access, the outward bound mail is left in plain view of everyone passing by, making it subject to theft or just being lost in the mail. If you do have to rely on this kind of outgoing mail procedure, you ought to take your outgoing mail to the post office yourself.

Depending on the size of the apartment complex and readily available access, certain mail boxes for apartments may be located outside of the building. You may have seen a long line of mailboxes mounted on a rod or other kind of structure with a single-key locking mechanism accessible in the rear of each mailbox, through which the letter carrier puts the incoming mail. Several of the other designs include a locking box that requires a key from the renter. Others can have no fastener at all, leaving the mail open to theft or vandalism.

Most of the first locking mail boxes were made for apartment living. Today's homeowners are usually seeking locking mailboxes for single home residences, however apartments rentals have always had the advantages of having a locking mailbox. The locking mail boxes help to keep the mail from being stolen or looked at by next door neighbors or criminals who are trying to steal mail or personal information. Since apartment communities house many different people, it is critical the locking mailboxes they use are safe and sound and of high quality.

Roadside Locking Mailboxes - Set Up Instructions

Lots of people don’t consider it, but there are federal regulations that oversee how a locking roadside mailbox has to be displayed in your yard. The guidelines aren't complex and are designed with the sole purpose of making it simpler and more efficient for mail carriers to deliver the mail to your dwelling or office.

One of the primary considerations to remember is if you pick a custom-designed mailbox it must be approved by the local postmaster. It's not possible to just create a mailbox of any shape or size and expect to keep getting your mail.

Any mailbox with a lock requires the approval of the Postmaster General and should include a slot sufficient to handle the volume of mail you ordinarily receive. Keep in mind, it's a violation of the USPS regulations to put any type of advertisement on the mailbox or the mailbox post.

You are permitted to attach a receptacle for newspapers to the mailbox so long as it meets the following requirements:

* Does not need to touch the mailbox for support
* Does not hinder the regular process of mail delivery
* Does not prevent the flag on the mailbox from the view of the mail carrier
* Does not reach beyond the front of the mailbox once the door of the mailbox is closed
* It does not present a basic safety hazard to either the mail carrier or his or her vehicle

The name or address on your mail box should be at least one inch high so it is clearly visible to the mail carrier on a traveling route.

The mailbox must stand between 41 and 45 inches above the road’s surface except in times when the road or curb does not allow this distance. Although it may seem like common knowledge, you must put your roadside mailbox on the right side of the street so the carrier's driving route won't be altered.

Your mailbox should be positioned between six to eight inches from the curb. In order to make sure you are following the most current regulations, speak to your local post office before you move your roadside mailbox.

After set up, it's important you keep your mailbox is extremely good working condition, with a sturdy post in tact. There must always be an obvious pathway for mail carriers to place mail into the box or they will not deliver your mail. It's the responsibility of the owner to upgrade any mailbox that becomes damaged.

A Review Of Mailbox Possibilities

Even though the most commonly seen mailboxes are locking roadside mailboxes and wall mounted mailboxes, they are not necessarily the only types of mailboxes that are available to commercial and residential customers. Homeowner and commercial customers alike have a variety of options for mail delivery, though things are changing and the need for more security has generated the need for additional options. The days of the unlocked roadside mailbox and unlocked residential mailbox are long gone and sunk into oblivion.


One of the newest entries into residential roadside mailboxes is the cluster mailbox. Extremely common in townhouse areas, these boxes group a number of mailboxes together and the residents then get their mail from the large cluster mailbox unit. While they might be somewhat annoying for those who must leave their offices or homes to gather mail, they permit the mail carrier to make fewer stops and thus deliver the mail faster. A lot of people think they are not as safe because they're even further away. However, they are just as secure if not more so than the wall mounted mailboxes you see in apartment buildings.



Door slots are also quite normal mailbox choices but they are becoming less common in residential areas than they were in the past. In commercial building with a reception area where outsiders may enter, it is also becoming common for those who have door slots to attach a locked box to the other side. This enables the mail to arrive securely within the box rather than being scattered all over the floor. Many professional customers also use the boxes when they offer after hours drop off of payments in order to avoid coming in to a pile of checks that have made their way everywhere in the floor of the front office.


Another option that some people pick is a mail drop which means they pay a vendor to receive their mail. Companies such as Mailboxes Etc. and UPS offer customers an option for secure delivery of their mail to an assigned post office box. Lots of people choose to get their mail dropped at these locations because they do not want their mail taken to their home or office, most often for security reasons.

The Advantages of Mailboss Locking Mailboxes

ID fraud is a rapidly growing criminal offense within the USA with almost one million US citizens being victimized yearly. Criminals are making use of low-tech techniques to capture data of their victims, like stealing wallets or mail, either in the garbage or your mailbox.

The truth is, if you have an old-fashioned mail box, you might be very susceptible to identity theft. A locking mail box is a current day necessity.

With postal mail robbery happenings increasing at a truly alarming rate, a great deal more individuals are noticing the importance of employing a locking mail box to guard their identities.

Us citizens are realizing why locking mailboxes are important in a variety of ways. There may be elevated media coverage of mail Identification theft, to begin with. Several may simply find their neighbor has a brand new locking mail box and notice how their mailbox is vulnerable in comparison. And others could see a locking mail box in their nearby appliance store and decide that it's something they ultimately must have.

Considering the advance of secure locking letterboxes and their growing reputation amongst shoppers, it is simply a matter of time before a locking mailbox becomes a homeowner requirement. At that point, the individuals most at risk of being victims of Identity thieves is going to be those with no locking mailbox.

When you don't currently have a locking mailbox, you aren't necessarily uber prone to ID theft just yet. As per the USPS, there are still 60 million unlocked mail boxes out there. But mail distribution is not going anywhere anytime soon, and it's only a matter of time before most everyone decides that it's an undesirable strategy to leave private distinguishing details susceptible about the side of the street in a unlocked mail box for everyone to easily take.

The Mail Boss protection mail box just isn't your normal locking curbside mail box. Using its heavy-gauge galvanized welded metallic build and stainless steel hinges, the U.S.P.S. Approved MailBoss is known as a postal mail fortress! A unique trademarked anti-pry locking system prevents leveraged admittance.

Thus not like additional locking mail boxes, the MailBoss can not be easily violated by likely mail and ID burglars. With the patent-pending Fast-Trak™ mounting plate, you are able to quickly put in your high safety mail box on a MailBoss Mounting Post, an existing post or gang plank.

Curbside Mail Boss

• U.S. Post Master Approved

• Full support, great capacity curbside securing protection mailbox

• Made of 12-gauge and 14-gauge electro galvanized welded metal

• Stainless metal handles for simplicity

• Innovative patented anti-pry latch sealing system

• Locking entry doorway w/ professional grade brass core tube lock

• Exclusive Fast-Trak™ Mounting Plate for fast installment

• Durable powder-coated in granite, black, bronze or white.

• Includes vandal resistant flag, three keys & reflective house numbers

• Dimensions: 21" x 13.75" x 11.25"

The Rewards of the Mailboss Package Master Locking Mailbox

In some communities there is still issues with theft from mailboxes with regards to identity theft or theft of small packages, including mailed prescriptions.

One method to deal with the problem is to use a locking mailbox, but many tend not to provide the space for those small packages. But there is however, a possibility available that will provide protection from theft while still allowing the postal carrier complete entry to your mailbox with no need for a key.

Mailboss offers the Package Master locking mailbox containing two separate hinged doors. The postal carrier are listed the incoming mail in the top door so when the entranceway is closed the mail drops in a lower level, protected with a lock.

After the mail is classified as lower space, an interior hinged plate rises into spot to prevent prying hands from reaching the mail which has dropped towards the bottom. The locked lower level allows the owner to retrieve their mail. A tiny shelf near the top of top of the level allows outgoing mail to get found through the postal carrier.

Manufactured from 12 and 14 gauge steel, it can be secured using a brass core disc lock in order to avoid prying, even by most tools. Even though it has a “fast track” mounting plate, it too is secured against prying to stop the theft of the entire mailbox. Steel hinges and hardware offer long life and as added protection contrary to the weather as well as mail thieves.

The Mail Boss Package Master locking mailbox is greater than most residential mailboxes and may be installed on an optional metal post or many existing mailbox mounting systems.

The incoming mail opening measures about 1.5-inches high by 10.5-inches wide which has a retrieval opening measuring five-inches high by 10.8-inches wide to accommodate many small packages, including most prescriptions.

It can be available in five colors to match each side your home. Fishing through this mailbox for checks or private information is done very much tougher as soon as would-be thieves realize the amount of difficulty that is installed, they likely will start working on a less arduous target.

Select the Best Mail Boss Locking Mailbox For Your Desires

Opting to buy a Mail Boss mailbox is an awesome idea! You can find many diverse sorts of Mail Boss locking mailboxes both in the commercial and housing sectors. What you need to do first is analyze your individual needs as a company or an individual resident in town.

Even in the residential sector, you might discover some mailboxes work better than others or are more favored by the community. Most newer local communities are going toward cluster boxes than individual mailboxes. These cluster boxes consist of locks that make them secure and are easier for the mail carriers as they are in one central location. This decreases the number of stops the mail driver must make.

A different kind of mailbox is the rural mailbox which in modern times now has a locking option. Despite the fact that these roadside boxes are nonetheless called rural mailboxes, they are not created specifically for rural areas. Many residential communities even have rural mailboxes instead of just wall or building mounted varieties.

Of course, these boxes are very convenient for mail carriers but there are disadvantages associated with them. There's some inclination for people to park their cars in front of the mailboxes, thus stopping the delivery of mail to the home or business.Nevertheless, having a roadside locking mailbox certainly decreases the potential for theft and vandalism, at least during the daylight hours.

An important consideration when you pick any kind of mailbox is the security functions. All of the Mail Boss mailboxes present enhanced security locks with really strong construction. These merged features make it difficult if not hopeless for the mail customer to become a victim of mail theft or vandalism.

Certainly we know nothing is impossible under the right circumstances, but it is a relief to know you have the added security of a mailbox with a strong lock and strong construction. The uncomplicated to install mounting bracket which comes with each Mail Boss allows it to be installed in only a few minutes.

It doesn’t matter which Mail Boss unit you choose you will find the same security locking system and strong construction. As a mail customer it is up to you to make the decision about what is best for your needs, and this will depend in part whether your needs are in the residential or commercial sector.

Other reasons to consider when making your final choice will be the location of your building and the type of mail delivery service the post office provides.

Examining Mailbox Possibilities

There are a wide selection of different mailbox options offered today for homeowners and renters, aside from regular locking roadside mailboxes and wall mounted mailboxes.

Homeowner and commercial customers the same have a diverse range of options for mail delivery, though things are changing and the need for more security has generated the need for additional options.

The days of the unlocked roadside mailbox and unlocked residential mailboxes are long gone and sunk into oblivion.

Among the trendiest additions in the mailbox industry is the cluster mailbox. Rather than individual mailboxes on each home, residents must gather their mail in a generalized location of locked mailboxes, thus the name “cluster.”

These boxes may be common in townhouse communities and are beginning to make their way into mobile home parks as well.

While they might be somewhat annoying for those who must leave their homes or offices to collect mail, they permit the mail carrier to make fewer stops and thus deliver the mail faster. A number of people may also feel they are less secure than wall-mounted mailboxes because they're not always located close to the building.

However, they are just as secure if not more so than the wall mounted mailboxes you find in apartment buildings.

Door slots are also common mailbox options even though they are becoming less common in residential areas than they used to be. Sometimes in commerical buildings it's quite common to see door slots with attached locked boxes on the reverse side to catch the mail. This permits the mail to arrive securely within the box instead of being scattered all over the floor.

Many commercial customers also use the boxes when they offer after hours drop off of payments in order to avoid coming in to a pile of checks that have made their way all over the floor of the front office.

Another alternative that some people pick is a mail drop which means they pay a vendor to accept their mail. Companies like Mailboxes Etc. and UPS offer customers an option for secure delivery of their mail to an assigned post office box.

A lot of people choose to get their mail dropped at these locations because they do not want their mail taken to their home or office, most often for security reasons.

Cluster Mailbox Units - The Evolution

While cluster mailboxes do offer many advantages for homeowners and the mail service, there are lots of people who find them quite inconvenient. This is mainly because of the fact someone might have to walk a short distance to the cluster mailbox unit to gather their mail.

The use of cluster mailbox units is growing dramatically, with many townhome communities using them or communities where homes are placed closely together. They do offer great mail security and make it much easier on the mail delivery person because they require much fewer stops on their route. The USPS supports the use of these boxes mostly because they offer a more efficient way to allow them to deliver the mail.

The size of the development determines how many cluster box units are installed. Smaller developments may have only one group of boxes for the entire community while larger developments may have cluster box units scattered throughout the community to make it more convenient for the residents.

Cluster boxes were very much opposed when they were first introduced in the 70s and 80s. Because homeowners were accustomed to reaching outside their front door into their house mail box or accustomed to walking only the short distance to their curb to retrieve their mail, they felt cluster mailboxes left them with the chore of walking much further to retrieve their mail items. In fact, they felt cluster mailboxes were only used due to laziness of mail carriers during the time.

Today’s modern residents are less concerned about cluster mailboxes being used than the residents of the past. With many people living in highly populated areas, apartment communities or townhouse communities, they understand the significance of highly secure cluster mailboxes. They realize they offer more efficiency with regards to mail delivery, which often means their mail is deliver much faster than it otherwise would be.

While they may not offer great convenience for some residents and families, cluster mailboxes do offer high security for those living in highly populated areas. Cluster mailboxes come with locks and keys, which allow the mail to be much safer than it otherwise would be in a curbside unlocked mailbox.

Of course, the fact the cluster mailboxes are out in the open also make them naturally more secure. In addition, with a larger emphasis on walking and getting any kind of physical exercise possible, people are less likely to complain about a larger walk to retrieve their mail.

Three Kinds of Wall Mounted Mailboxes

Odds are if you live in an old neighborhood, you've got a wall mounted mailbox connected to your house. In previous decades these mailboxes were made up of nothing more than a mailbox with a lid to safeguard the mail from the weather, with some supplying an area underneath area for oversized mail like large envelopes or circulars.

Today there exists a greater threat of identity theft and those with older wall mounted mailboxes should replace them with new and more secure versions.

Even though it is sometimes possible to merely add a lock to an existing mailbox, if your box is older, you might want to simply replace it with a more modern day security enhanced locking wall mounted mailbox. Both Mail Boss and Salsbury Industries have an assortment of different locking wall mounted mailboxes like brass and Victorian residential styles.

An alternative option in locking wall mounted options is the multiple commercial mailbox, including those you find in apartments and condos. In this situation, each person’s mailbox has a lock, and the postal carrier has the capacity to unlock the group of boxes and insert the mail without entering individual boxes from the front. 

This offers security for the tenants of the building although there may be some restrictions on the size of envelopes which will fit. In order to enhance security on your mailbox, you need to add your name or your apartment number to reduce the possibility of misdirected mail.

Locking wall mounted mailboxes may also be common in commercial establishments. However, the commercial variety is often the larger, vertical style in order to accommodate not only a larger volume of mail but also larger envelopes. 

Still key-operated, these vertical wall mounted mailboxes provide security to each commercial customer whether they are mounted in a building with a variety of tenants or in the front office of a single tenant building.

You can even find more varieties of wall mounted mailboxes, such as the locking wall mounted mailbox parcel locker. Commercial customers may opt for this option in several different sizes and colors from Salsbury Industries. 

This is the most effective options for commercial customers who receive standard package deliveries and don't always have someone available to accept them. It's even more secure than leaving packages at a reception desk. Like all the other wall-mounted mailboxes, the parcel boxes come furnished with a lock and key to deter theft.

How A Mail Boss Locking Mailbox Helps To Keep Your Mail Safe

Choosing to buy a Mailboss mailbox is a terrific idea! You can get many diverse kinds of Mail Boss locking mailboxes both in the commercial and residential sectors. What you might like to do first is analyze your personal needs as a company or an individual resident. Concerning residential mailboxes, some are absolutely more accepted in most areas than others. Most newer communities are going toward cluster boxes than individual mailboxes. These cluster boxes have locks that make them safeguarded and are less complicated for the mail carriers as they are in one central location. This lessens the number of stops the carrier must make.



A different type of mailbox is the rural mailbox which in contemporary times now has a locking option. Even though these roadside boxes are nevertheless called rural mailboxes, they are not designed specifically for rural areas. Many residential communities have rural mailboxes instead of just wall or building mounted varieties. Needless to say, these boxes are very handy for mail carriers but you will discover disadvantages associated with them. There is some inclination for people to park their cars in front of the mailboxes, thus stopping the delivery of mail to the home or business.Nevertheless, having a roadside locking mailbox definitely decreases the potential for theft and vandalism, at least throughout the day.



A crucial consideration when you select any kind of mailbox is the security functions. All of the MailBoss mailboxes deliver enhanced security locks with particularly strong construction. These combined features make it tough if not out of the question for the mail customer to become a victim of mail theft or vandalism. Certainly we know nothing is impossible under the right circumstances, but it is a relief to know you have the added security of a mailbox with a sturdy lock and strong construction. In addition to the sturdiness of the lock and mailbox, the mounting bracket that is sold with each Mail Boss lowers the time it takes for installation, making it minutes instead of hours.



It doesn't matter which Mail Boss unit you choose you will find the same security locking system and strong construction. As a mail customer it is up to you to make the decision about what is best for your needs, and this will depend in part whether your needs are in the residential or commercial sector. Keep in mind your building location and your local mail delivery system when you're making your final choice.