Time to Upgrade Your Unsecured Mailbox?

Upgrade to A Wall Mount Locking Security Mailbox

You have three options when upgrading from a non-secure mailbox to a locking security mailbox including:

1. Top Hinged
2. Bottom Hinged
3. Side Hinged

Every unsecured mailbox is an invitation for mail theft. If your mailbox doesn’t lock it can be a treasure trove of easy gifts for thieves. Why risk holiday and birthday cards, tax refunds, business checks, or information that can be used to steal your identity?

It’s unfortunate but mail theft is on the rise.

Whether driven by the need to fuel addiction or by greed or by a poor decision on the mailbox owner’s part, the temptation to rifle through unsecured mailboxes is difficult for some to avoid.

The MailboxWorks recommends upgrading any unsecured residential wall mount mailbox and replacing it with a locking security mailbox.

In this article, we’ll explore the three variations of locking wall mount security mailboxes in more detail.

Side Hinged Wall Mount Mailbox

The most common locking wall mount mailboxes are those that feature the locking mechanism on the side-hinged, vertically mounted mailbox door. In other words, the lock is in the same place as you would find on the front door to your home.

One advantage of purchasing a side-hinged locking secure mailbox is that they have the lock placed vertically on the door for daily ease of inserting the key into the lock.

Another advantage is that this locking mailbox model is available in the widest selection of mailbox styles and colors.

One minor disadvantage to having the lock on a side-hinged security mailbox door is that the mail can easily fall when you open the door.

Bottom Hinged Locking Security Mailbox

Another variation of locking wall mounted mailboxes are those where the key is still located on the vertically mounted door, but the hinge is not on the side of the door but rather on the bottom of it.

The advantage of choosing a locking security mailbox with a bottom door hinge is that they offer the same daily ease of use when inserting the key into the lock but without the chance of the mail spilling out of the mailbox. The bottom hinge forms an envelope upon which the mail can rest.

The disadvantage is that this bottom door hinge mailbox option is almost always utilized on more modern or contemporary mailbox styles and is difficult to find on traditional, older style mailboxes.

Top Hinged Wall Mount Mailbox

The third variation of locking wall mount security mailboxes is where the key is inserted into a secondary, horizontally mounted door upon the top of the mailbox.

The advantage of locating the mailbox lock horizontally is that the lock is protected from the elements by the primary door that the postal carrier lifts to deposit the mail.

Another advantage is that there is no chance of the mail spilling out of the mailbox when you unlock the locking security mailbox from the top. And third, if you fail to re-lock the mailbox for the following day, the primary door hides this fact from any passersby.

Yet, the disadvantage of locating the mailbox lock beneath a primary door (and on top of the mailbox) is that it can be inconvenient to open the mailbox for those individuals who are “height challenged.” They may not be able to see where to insert the mailbox key.

Whatever style of locking security mailbox you choose, you will feel much better knowing your mail will always be protected.

If you are changing the location of your mailbox, check out USPS Mailbox Guidelines first or check with your local postmaster.

If you need help ordering or if you still have questions about locking security mailbox options, please contact our mailbox experts at 1-866-717-4943.

Categorized in: DIY Mailbox Installation & Upgrades