Winter Mailbox Protection

We’re right in the middle of winter, meaning snow, ice, and snowplows. Is your mailbox safe from all of these dangers? We’re here to give you a few tips to keep those mailboxes safe.

1.      Clear the snow away from your mailbox. This is not only helpful to the letter carriers delivering your mail, but for incoming cars and snowplows. If your mailbox is located on the street, snow alongside your mailbox will be kicked up into your mailbox. Keeping your street clear will reduce the amount of snow hitting your mailbox.

2.      Place reflective tape on your mailbox. This will make it easier for people, including those driving the snowplows, to see it. This will significantly reduce the chances of your mailbox being hit by a plow or vehicle.

3.      Check to see how securely your mailbox is mounted. With the ground frozen it may be too late to make adjustments to the post, but you can make sure the mailbox itself is mounted securely to the post. This will also help prevent it from taking great damage.

4.      If you have a warm spell and are able to do so, move your mailbox as far away from the road as possible. You must of course adhere to USPS standards, but the more distance between your mailbox and the street the better your chances of no mailbox fatalities.

5.      Keep the mailbox itself clear of snow. If the top of your mailbox is covered in snow, it’s going to be difficult to see. This goes hand in hand with tip number two. You want to do everything you can to make sure your mailbox is visible.

None of these tips are, of course, perfect. Accidents do still happen. While there are specially designed mailboxes created to reduce the risk of snow plows, they can be very expensive and even though don’t guarantee your mailbox won’t be damaged or destroyed. But take heart, because the end of January approaches which means spring, and no more snow, is on the way. 

Frozen Mailbox Locks

It may be a mild winter across much of the USA, but that’s not the case for everywhere in Canada. In fact, many of the outdoor community mailboxes have frozen in the cold weather! While we are used to car locks and car doors freezing, it’s not so common to have our mailboxes frozen shut.

Some Canadian citizens have resorted to de-icing fluid to get into their mailboxes, with mixed results. Canada Post has advised residents to contact them directly, rather than attempting to get into their mailboxes themselves out of fear of the mailboxes being damaged.

This has been a problem for many citizens who are waiting for checks, medications, and important documents in the mail. In addition, letter carriers are also unable to access mailboxes, so even if residents do get into their mailboxes they will likely be missing some of their mail.

Frozen locks aren’t the only problem Canadian residents have had to face this winter. Some community mailboxes have been challenging for citizens to get to at all. This is due to a buildup of snow and ice blocking some of the mailboxes.

The decision to end door-to-door delivery and replace it with outdoor community mailboxes was already fairly unpopular across the country, but this has only made matters worse. Citizens are left asking why mailboxes weren’t outfitted with better locks, or built under an enclosure. Others are asking who is responsible for clearing the snow and ice. Some even complain that making their way to the mailboxes is dangerous because of snowy and icy conditions.

There have been few reports of similar conditions happening here in the USA, though of course outdoor community mailboxes are less prevalent here compared to Canada.

Hopefully temperatures will soon be on the rise and residents will begin getting back into their mailboxes.

Protection From Snow Plows

We are approaching the end of February, but this month has brought harsh winter weather to much of the country. Snow and ice can last long after February, which means snow plows could be out and about even in spring. And when the plows are out, your mailboxes are in danger of being damaged.

Damage to mailboxes from plows can occur for a variety of reasons. It may be that plows cannot see a mailbox around snow banks. Mailboxes with a weak structural integrity may be damaged when snow from plows hits them. Plows may damage mailboxes because of poor conditions due to the weather. Whatever the reason, it results in a damaged or broken mailbox that needs to be replaced.

How can you avoid this fate? There are steps you may take before winter to reinforce your mailbox, but this late in the season it is likely too late for that. There are some things you can do now though to keep your mailbox as protected as possible.

Try placing an orange flag or tall post directly behind your mailbox. This flag or post should be significantly taller than your mailbox. It will be easier for a plow driver to see. The orange will stand out in poor weather, and the height will help your mailbox be seen around snow banks. If the driver can see something is on the side of the road, they are more likely to not hit and damage it.

Another way to keep your mailbox safe is to keep the area surrounding your mailbox clear. Shovel out the mailbox from all sides, not just the front. By giving a clear area of several feet in front of, behind, and next to your mailbox, snow that is pushed towards your mailbox has more space to go. Less snow will then accumulated around your mailbox, minimizing the damage.

If the ground is not too frozen, you may also consider securing your mailbox post. Your mailbox post should be made from a sturdy material. For additional strength, be sure your post is sunk down a minimum of 18”.

Use these tips to minimize the damage to your mailboxes from plows. If your mailbox is damaged, check to see if you can get it replaced for free or at a discounted price. This will vary from place to place. But hopefully with these tips, you won’t need to!