Posted on

A Guide to Remodeling With Commercial Vertical Mailboxes

The United States Postal Service delivers nearly 190 million pieces of First-class mail every day. Add in circulars and other bits and pieces, and you end up with a truly staggering amount of mail.

Managing that mail is one of the unseen but critical behind-the-scenes processes every commercial property has to master. Installing the right mailbox setup for your needs isn’t a glamorous project, but it can have a huge impact on the day-to-day quality of life for everyone on-property.

Keep reading to discover how a vertical mailbox arrangement can help you make the most of your space and improve mail flow through your property.

What Are Vertical Mailboxes?

Imagine that you are holding a book in your hand, with the spine facing toward you. If you were to place the book with its back flat on the shelf, it’s title easy to read, you would be looking at roughly the shape of a horizontal mailbox – wide, but short.

Now imagine you were to slot the book into a row of books, such that you had to tilt your head to read the title because it is running up and down instead of horizontally. You would then have the shape of a vertical mailbox, tall but narrow.

In this context, the terms “horizontal” and “vertical” refer to the orientation of individual mailboxes, rather than how arrangements of boxes are clustered. For example, horizontal boxes may be stacked on top of one another in tall, narrow rows. Similarly, vertical mailboxes may run in a long, horizontal row down a hall.

Postal Regulations

Recent updates to postal regulations do not specifically require commercial properties to invest in vertical wall mounted mailboxes. They do, however, emphasize some key features that most commercial vertical mailboxes comply with.

  • Improved locks and security measures
  • Bigger minimum door dimensions
  • Cohesive setups that accommodate inbound and outgoing mail and parcels

Both front and rear loading styles are permitted.

What Are the Benefits of Vertical Mailboxes?

Vertical mailboxes for apartments offer a variety of appealing benefits to developers, complex owners, and tenants alike. They are:

  • Functional and stylish
  • Easy to install
  • Appropriate for both indoor and outdoor mail installations
  • Available in a variety of sizes and size configurations

Vertical mailboxes are also a good fit for modern postal trends.

Modern Postal Trends

All developers and property owners benefit from bearing modern postal trends in mind when selecting either horizontal or vertical mailbox units.

Increase in Direct Delivery

In recent years, online ordering has exploded. Customers order everything from groceries to clothes to gifts to specialty items online through convenient web retailers and apps. This has dramatically increased the number of packages the average household receives over the course of a year.

It also means that households are routinely receiving parcels of all shapes and sizes. As the average number of letters received decreases and the number of packages delivered increases, standard letter-size mailboxes become less and less aligned with consumer needs.

This is a strong strike against horizontal setups which almost always feature a very small mailbox that cannot accommodate packages of any kind.

Mail Theft

As the number of packages residents receive climbs, the potential for theft and loss increases as well. This is particularly true in complexes where small, outdated apartment mailboxes force mail carriers to leave packages on doorsteps or in other exposed places where they are vulnerable to “porch piracy.”

Mail theft is proving not only more problematic but more costly to both companies and buyers. The inability to safely and securely receive packages can be a huge quality of life factor for residents. Apartment complexes that adapt to meet this need can expect a strong competitive advantage over other, less responsive properties.

Identity Theft

Identity theft is another problem on the rise with direct ties to mailbox design, installation, and safety. Over 14 million people have their identities stolen annually, and the average cost of dealing with identity theft is only going up.

Like mail theft, identity theft is generating a greater awareness of the importance of securing one’s mail and private correspondence. As consumers watch friends and family struggle with these problems and see recurrent news coverage of them, they continue to place ever higher priority on protecting themselves.

Developers and property managers must respond to these concerns by installing safer and more functional mailboxes in order to remain competitive.

Features to Look for in a Vertical Mailbox

When selecting commercial mailboxes of any style, durability, appearance, and functionality are all crucial. Look for mailboxes:

  • Powder-coated for corrosion and scratch resistance
  • With heavy-duty metal constructions for durability and dent resistance
  • Boasting tamper-proof seam construction (e.g. overlapping seams)
  • With quick-release loading door latches
  • With double-locking parcel boxes
  • With USPS-approved locks and identification tags
  • Available in color and finish options that compliment your overall decor
  • With the option to include door buzzers and other accessories in the same unit

If your mail station is outdoors, look for waterproof mailbox options, as well.

Be sure to check whether mailbox setups are front-loading or rear-loading and select the style most suited for your space. Consider consulting with the local postmaster for his or her preference or advice before choosing.

Remodeling With Vertical Mailboxes

There has never been a better time to remodel a property with a vertical mailbox installation. Installing larger, safer vertical mailboxes is a fast, easy, and inexpensive way to increase tenant satisfaction and improve property competitiveness.

Talk to the experts today about selecting the vertical mailbox setup best suited to your property.