Door Slot
Posted : admin On 4/13/2022A residential wall mail slot offers the ultimate in convenience for homeowners lucky enough to still receive walk-up mail delivery.
When installing a wall mail slot mailbox you can choose either:
The standards for an approved door slot are: The opening must be at least 1 1/2″ x 7″. The bottom of the slot must be at least 30″ above floor. Horizontal slots must have a flap hinged at the top. Vertical slots must be hinged on the opposite side from the door's hinges. We offer door mail slots in stainless steel, bronze, and brass. Choose from models with or without an interior flap. We have traditionally styled mail slots for doors as well as more modern designs in different sizes so you will be sure to be able to find just what you are looking for.
Door Mounted – Bursting forth with nostalgia, a door mail slot mailbox can be installed through a front door (or garage door).
Through Wall – Your wall mail slot mailbox can be installed through the wall of your home.
An exterior mail slot cover (or lid) covers the mail slot so that the home remains insulated against the elements. USPS mailbox guidelines require any horizontal mail slot to be hinged at the top and any vertical mail slot to be hinged on the opposite side from the door’s hinges (if mounted on a door).
When the postal carrier walks up to the house, the mail carrier simply lifts the lid on residential mail slots to insert the mail. The mail passes through your door (or wall for wall mounted door slots) and lies securely on the inside of your home, either on the floor or in a mail slot collection box.
Advantages of a Residential Mail Drop Slot
European Home Mail Slot
While residential mail slots are only advisable for postal areas with walk up delivery, the advantages of these thru-wall and thru door slot mailboxes are three-fold:
- Residential mail slots are often far more secure than non-locking post mount or wall mount mailboxes.
- Mail slots are less expensive.
- Mail slots do not require the homeowner to exit their home to retrieve their mail.
For disabled persons or elderly persons with mobility challenges, this third advantage of mail slot mailboxes is hands-down the most significant, as their mail can be collected from the security and comfort of their home.
Ordering A Slot Mailbox
Door Slot For Mail
When buying residential mail slots, take time to consider these three factors:
- Mail slot size
- Mail slot finish
- Whether or not to accessorize your with an indoor collection box
Mail Slot Size
The size of your installed mail slot should be large enough to accommodate large envelopes, magazine subscriptions, or small parcels, and according to the USPS mail slot requirements, the mail slot size should be at least 1 ½ by 7 inches in size.
Mail Slot Finish
The finish of your mail slot should match or complement the finish of your door or wall hardware. For example, if you have a door entry hardware with a natural patina brass finish, consider selecting a brass mail slot with a natural patina finish or consider a high contrast to that brass finish to avoid finishes that clash.
Mail Slot Accessories
If having your mail scattered across a heavily trafficked floor area is a safety concern, an indoor mail collection box accessory or simple drop basket inside the home is advisable. Additionally, indoor mail collection accessories are also recommended when the floor surface (such as soft wood flooring) can be easily damaged by the regular delivery of parcels or packages that might scratch or ding it.
New Installation Considerations
Investing the time to consider these three factors can also augment the success of installing your mail slot in a new location:
- Check with your postmaster
- Ensure proper mail slot height
- Consider an interior hood installation
Consult with Your Postmaster
First, check with your local postmaster to ensure that your wall mail slot is a viable option for mail delivery to your home. While a trip to any of Europe’s great cities and to many of North America’s large east coast cities quickly validates the popularity of mail slot mailboxes (they are called letter boxes in Europe), mail slots are less common in the vast majority of North America. So, take the time to ensure walk up mail delivery is available to your residence before purchasing a mail slot for your home.
Correct Mail Slot Height
Second, the USPS requires that when installed, the bottom of your residential mail slot must be at least 30” above the floor. While there is no height restriction posted by the USPS, it is advisable that the mail slot be mounted at a height that allows the postal carrier to easily deliver your mail without reaching too high or stooping too low.
Interior Hood Installation
Additionally, to ensure the mail flows smoothly through the mail slot upon delivery, the USPS requires that if an interior hood is utilized for privacy, the hooded portion should not be below the bottom of the outside plate on the horizontal mail slot. For vertical mail slots, the hood should not extend beyond the side of the outside plate on the same side as the door’s hinges. Finally, regardless of orientation, the interior privacy hood should not project more than 2 1/16” beyond the inside of the door.
Mail Slot Brands
To shop the largest inventory of residential wall mail slots, browse the selections available at The MailboxWorks, North America’s largest retailer of all types of mailboxes – commercial and residential.
Auth Florence Mail Slots
The MailboxWorks features the elegantly simple aluminum mail slot created by Auth Florence, which meets all the USPS regulations regarding mail slots. Florence mail slots are available in eleven beautiful powder coated finishes including antique copper, antique bronze, black, gold, silver speck, and more. Additionally, Florence mail slots are offered with optional engraving on the mail slot door so homeowners can have their address or name engraved right on their mail slot.
European Home Mail Slots
The MailboxWorks also offers a European Home mail slot that resonates with a strong modern, contemporary design palate. These corrosion resistant stainless steel mail slots are handcrafted with a stunning satin-brushed finish and meet all USPS standards. Order your mail slot with a mail collection box for a complete mail slot system.
Streetscape Mail Slots
Additionally, The MailboxWorks also features a Streetscape Executive mail slot that is handmade by artisans in the United States. The Streetscape Executive mail slots also meet USPS standards and feature a unique patina brass finish that requires no maintenance. No two of these brass mail slots are alike and all are packaged with an interior mail chute of solid brass to guide the mail delivery. Additionally, your brass house numbers can be custom-welded to the mail slot door to further customize your mail slot.
Read all of our articles on Mail Slots including:
Still Have Questions?
If you still have questions about mail slot mailboxes, please contact our mailbox experts by calling The MailboxWorks toll free at 1-866-717-4943. You can also contact us online or send us an email.
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A residential mail slot mailbox, also known as letter slot mailbox, is typically installed into a home’s front exterior door or as a through-the-wall mail slot.
For homeowners who enjoy walk-up mail delivery, the residential mail slot vs mailbox question is undeniable. Insulated mail slots, available at The MailboxWorks, provide three distinct advantages over post mount or wall mount mailboxes. Both door mail slots and thru-wall mail slot mailboxes offer:
- Enhanced mail security
- Mail collection convenience
- Plus, you know if the mail came or not
Secure Residential Mail Slot Mailboxes
The first advantage over wall mount or post mount mailboxes is that residential mail slot mailboxes provide a level of security unmatched by the other two options.
While post and wall mount mailboxes are often ordered with locking features, to protect one’s mail from theft and vandalism, through wall or door mail slot mailboxes cannot be beaten. They ensure that the mail delivered to your home remains secure, behind the very door locks that already protect your home.
Additionally, for homeowners in neighborhoods where personal security is also a concern, a secure residential mail slot offers an added protection to the homeowner in that one does not have to even unlock the front door to collect the mail. The mail simply arrives through your door or wall mail slot.
Mail Collection Convenience
Second, residential mail slot mailboxes provide extraordinary convenience in the daily collection of one’s mail. Regardless of weather conditions outdoors, one remains warm and dry every time the mail is collected.
For homeowners who want to avoid a slip (or fall) in icy conditions, or getting wet during rainstorms, or getting cold in snowy conditions, the simplicity of collecting one’s mail without stepping outdoors is a wonderful and welcomed convenience.
You Always Know If the Mail Came or Not
The third advantage is that residential mail slot mailboxes put a permanent end to the question of whether the mail came or not. Checking to see if the mail has arrived takes but a glance at the foot of one’s front door.
In fact, with a residential mail slot, one can not only conserve their home’s heat or cooling (because you don’t have to open and close the door to continually check for mail delivery), but also, when you are out of town, you never have to worry if the house sitter picked up the mail or not. Your mail will be waiting for you…inside your home!
Residential Mail Slot Options
The MailboxWorks carries three residential mail slot options from which to select.
- First, Belgium–crafted European Home Letter Plate mail slot that is constructed of marine grade stainless steel and finished in a smooth polished or satin brushed finish. Both finishes are available in both the small horizontal mail slot (three inches high by eleven and two-thirds inches wide) and the large mail slot (three and three-quarter inches high by fifteen and a half inches wide). Both include an interior rear mailbox plate to provide a sleek professional look.
- European Home also provides another stainless steel mail slot called the European Home Mail Slot that is four inches high and thirteen inches wide. This mail slot features a spring-loaded mail door that swings inward for easy mail delivery. An interior rear plate is also provided to finish the look on the interior side of the door.
- In addition to the European Home mail slots, The MailboxWorks also offers the American-made Streetscape Executive mail slots, which are crafted of heavy gauge brass sheeting and bar stock that is hand cut, designed, and detailed with patchwork welds. The natural brass finish is virtually maintenance-free and each Streetscape Executive mail slot darkens over time to a rich unique finish. These residential mail slots measure four inches high and eleven inches wide. Matching brass numbers are also available for the Streetscape mail slots.
For USPS mail slot requirements, you can view the USPS “installing a new mailbox” guidelines here.
Door Slots For Mail
To speak with one of our mailbox experts, please call us at 1-866-717-4943.
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Categorised in: Residential Mailboxes