Mailbox - WKTV Journal

The Kentwood Department of Public Works encourages you to check the stability of your mailbox each fall.

By WKTV Staff

Temperatures have started to drop in Michigan and winter will be here before you know it. Before the snow flies and the ground freezes, you’ll want to make sure your mailbox is winter ready.

The post can become rusted or rotten over time, and you may find the box itself is missing some screws. These issues can make your mailbox more likely to fall over or be damaged by heavy snow pushed off the road by a snow plow. Plus, fixing or replacing a mailbox in winter can be difficult.

You can avoid all of this by taking a few easy steps now to determine if your mailbox is ready for winter.

To see if your mailbox is secure, simply give it a good shake.

To be secure enough to handle a Michigan winter, your mailbox shouldn’t really move, the box should be solidly attached to the post and the post firmly stuck in the ground. Additionally, the door to the mailbox should remain tightly shut (please see video above for more details).

Temporary solutions like bungee cords and duct tape won’t last a full season.

Time to replace it?

If tightening screws isn’t enough to make it secure, it’s time to replace it. Addressing necessary repairs now will save you the hassle of a damaged mailbox and delayed mail later.

Please give your mailbox a good shake today and make sure you’re prepared for the season ahead.

The Kent County Road Commission (KCRC) has some tips for making sure your mailbox is weather-ready. Shake your mailbox. Yes. It’s that simple.

KCRC is once again urging motorists to take advantage of the fall conditions and Shake Your Mailbox. Give the mailbox an aggressive shake; if the mailbox moves, it most likely needs maintenance to withstand the winter season and storm response efforts.

Over the years, a mailbox post can rot or become wobbly. By grabbing and shaking it, a resident can determine if it’s secure.

“The average speed of a snow plow is only 25 to 30 miles per hour, but a large enough amount of snow pushed off the road can damage a mailbox that is not in optimal condition,” said KCRC’s Deputy Managing Director of Operations Jerry Byrne.

Addressing necessary repairs now will help residents avoid the potential hassle of delayed mail or the need to make alternate mail delivery arrangements that a damaged mailbox can cause. The colder is gets, the greater the chance of below freezing conditions, and this makes it more difficult to install or fix a mailbox.

“Quick fixes like duct tape, bungee cords and string won’t last the season,” said Byrne. “Tighten screws and ensure that your mailbox post and receptacle are secure enough to endure large amounts of thrown snow.”

KCRC receives a number of calls from residents who believe road commission snow plows have hit their mailbox and caused damage. Byrne said that every complaint is investigated. “What we find, nine times out of ten, is that the snow coming off the truck’s blade, not the truck itself, made impact with the mailbox. We also find that, had the mailbox been in appropriate condition, it likely would have withstood the velocity at which the snow hit it.”