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Mailboxes
Nothing can protect you from the very real
threat of identity theft better than a secure,
sturdy mailbox. An attractive mailbox can
also add to the appearance of your house
or driveway.
Mailboxes should protect your mail from the
weather, be easy to open and close, and be
large enough to hold the amount and size
of mail you generally receive. They should
be made from a non-rusting metal, such as
stainless steel, brass, or powder coated
cast aluminum or from a wood that will resist
rotting, such as cedar or painted pine.
Consider the following when buying
a mailbox:
- Mailboxes for rural areas usually sit by
the side of the road, and so they need to
be mounted on a secure metal or wooden post.
Be careful to site the post and box so that
the postman can reach it from the mail vehicle,
but do not put it so close to the road that
it is easily struck by passing traffic. These
mailboxes should have a noticeable flag welded
to the side that can be raised to alert the
postman that outgoing mail is in the box.
Make sure that the box is large enough to
accommodate small packages.
- Mailboxes that sit at the end of a driveway
can be installed in stone or
brick columns.
They are usually made of metal
and can be
ordered so that the mail can
only be retrieved
be unlocking the box with a
key. These mailboxes
make a handsome addition to
any property,
but they are more expensive
to install than
other types of mailboxes.
- In areas where the postman delivers the mail
on foot, it is most common to mount the mailbox
on the exterior of the house, usually near
a doorway. These mailboxes are manufactured
in a large variety of sizes and styles, but
they should be made from a weather resistant
material. Manufacturers that specialize in
mailboxes make very attractive models that
can reflect the architectural style of the
house, such as Colonial, Victorian or sleekly
modern. It is important to make sure that
any mailbox you buy can be securely mounted
to the wall of your house. For additional
security consider purchasing a mailbox that
can only be opened with a key.
Mail can also be delivered through
a mail
slot installed in a door or wall,
but this
will limit the size of the mail
that can
be pushed through the slot and
may create
a heating / cooling leak unless
you buy a
specially insulated model. |
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