Mail slots are convenient ways to get your mail without bundling up in cold weather or braving the summer heat. They’re also a vintage homage to a simpler time.
- Privacy Hood For Mail Slot Folders
- Privacy Hood For Mail Slot Track
- Privacy Hood For Mail Slot Machines
- Privacy Hood For Mail Slot Machine
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A hood will allow mail to come in while blocking hands and tools from reaching upward through the slot. Like a hood, an enclosed box allows mail in and keeps would-be invaders out. Receptacles and hoods can be pricey, though. For a less expensive method, an air vent diverter offers similar protection.
Unfortunately, a mail slot can be alluring for a burglar, too. Unlike other residential mailboxes, mail drops provide a way into your home that most homeowners forget to secure.
An obvious solution is to give up your mail drop altogether in favor of a roadside mailbox. This can involve replacing your front door with one that doesn’t have a mail drop. Or you could install a slot cover for a more cost-effective fix. Either way, you would need to check with your local post office for regulations.
But fortunately, you can keep the whimsy of your mail drop while also making it more secure. Here’s how:
How to Make Your Mail Slot More Secure
There are several ways to protect against burglars accessing your mail drop. Here are a few of our favorites:
1. Install a Hood or Receptacle
Burglars can get into your home by reaching their hand or an object through the mail drop to unlock the door. To prevent this, install a metal hood over the top of the slot on the interior side of the door. A hood will allow mail to come in while blocking hands and tools from reaching upward through the slot.
Like a hood, an enclosed box allows mail in and keeps would-be invaders out. Receptacles and hoods can be pricey, though. For a less expensive method, an air vent diverter offers similar protection. But note that these diverters are typically plastic, so they won’t be as effective as a metal hood.
2. Secure the Letter Drop Itself
Privacy Hood For Mail Slot Folders
An obvious solution is to give up your mail drop altogether in favor of a roadside mailbox. This can involve replacing your front door with one that doesn’t have a mail drop. Or you could install a slot cover for a more cost-effective fix. Either way, you would need to check with your local post office for regulations.
But fortunately, you can keep the whimsy of your mail drop while also making it more secure. Here’s how:
How to Make Your Mail Slot More Secure
There are several ways to protect against burglars accessing your mail drop. Here are a few of our favorites:
1. Install a Hood or Receptacle
Burglars can get into your home by reaching their hand or an object through the mail drop to unlock the door. To prevent this, install a metal hood over the top of the slot on the interior side of the door. A hood will allow mail to come in while blocking hands and tools from reaching upward through the slot.
Like a hood, an enclosed box allows mail in and keeps would-be invaders out. Receptacles and hoods can be pricey, though. For a less expensive method, an air vent diverter offers similar protection. But note that these diverters are typically plastic, so they won’t be as effective as a metal hood.
2. Secure the Letter Drop Itself
Privacy Hood For Mail Slot Folders
Hoods and receptacles keep burglars out by blocking unwanted entry. But if your letter drop slot is too big, it could still let them in.
Check your mail drop regularly to make sure it’s still intact and secure. Over time, they can loosen and become easy to break apart, so keep an eye out and replace yours if needed.
For added security, use a more narrow mail slot. This may add a layer of inconvenience because envelope-wrapped packages may no longer fit. But if you’re serious about home security, it could be worth the effort.
3. Add Other Security Measures
A well-lit entryway (even when you aren’t home) goes a long way in deterring burglars. After all, it takes finagling to get into a house through the letter drop, so they run a high risk that your neighbors will spot them.
Another way to prevent a mail drop break-in is to install a motion-sensing security system. If a burglar hears an alarm sounding when they’re trying to get into the letter drop, they’ll run away in a hurry.
4. Reinforce Your Door
Privacy Hood For Mail Slot Track
Mail drops don’t just provide an opening where a burglar could creep in. They can also weaken the structure of your door so it’s easier to kick in.
To prevent a burglar from taking advantage of this, reinforce your door itself. You can do this by adding a second deadbolt, and by adding stronger hinges.
Privacy Hood For Mail Slot Machines
Maintaining a Secure Mail Drop
Privacy Hood For Mail Slot Machine
Mail slots may have their security risks, but they have an undeniable charm as well. With the tips above, you can have the best of both worlds. For more ways to get your mail in a safe way, browse our blog or shop our mailbox selection.
