Fall Mailbox Maintenance
It is important for City residents and business owners to conduct periodic mailbox inspections and perform routine maintenance. Taking a few steps now to make repairs and ensure access and visibility of your mailbox will go a long way in helping the snowplow drivers this winter. Mailboxes should be installed and maintained to withstand snow coming off the end of the plow. Most of the time it’s the weight of the snow hitting or gathering around your mailbox that causes the damage. If you can “shake” your post, consider compacting the soil by the base of the post so that it doesn’t begin to lean when snow starts to build up. Keep snow and any other debris clear and away from your mailbox. This will make it easier to be seen and accessible. Just make sure not to shovel any snow back into the streets.
Tips to help protect your mailbox:
- Check your mailbox for inadequate construction of materials, age, and condition of support post.
- Repair or replace any areas with damage or decay.
- Dig deep! Make sure your mailbox mount is installed at least one foot in the ground.
- Shovel around your mailbox after each snowfall, aiming for at least two feet in each direction.
- Add reflective markers to help the snowplow drivers see your mailbox.