mail--slot or box

We live in a neighborhood that still gets mail delivered to the porch. We are considering swapping out the mail box for a mail slot so that the mail goes directly into the house and does not pile up in the mailbox. Pluses are that we don't have to have someone pick up the mail if we are gone for a few days and we don't have to go outside to get it. Minuses are that anyone could drop anything into our entry hall and cold air could get in if we don't engineer it right. What would be your preference if you could choose? I know this is not a life changing dilemma (at least I hope it's not ) but I am looking for your thoughts to help me decide.

My choice would be slot. It gets really old having to put a stop to the mail whenever we leave town.

Ingrid

Always been used to a slot in Europe, usually on the front door of a home. I remember when we first came here, I didn't realize that the mail was picked up from our mail box by putting up the "flag", don't know what I thought the flag was for - we definitely don't have home collection in Europe, just delivery. So, if you opt for a slot here, what happens to your outgoing mail - you'd need to go to the post office?

silvib said:

Always been used to a slot in Europe, usually on the front door of a home. I remember when we first came here, I didn't realize that the mail was picked up from our mail box by putting up the "flag", don't know what I thought the flag was for - we definitely don't have home collection in Europe, just delivery. So, if you opt for a slot here, what happens to your outgoing mail - you'd need to go to the post office?

Click to expand...

Use a slot. You will not have to worry about people taking your mail out of the box. We live semi rural and we have alot of mail box problems. When you are at work, how do you know if someone took your mail.???

We have a slot. It's okay. You can get a special basket that hangs under the slot and catches the mail so it doesn't end up all over the floor every day--that we don't have! I think you can take the basket off when you go on vacation.

The problem with a slot is that it's a security hazard. A thief can use a tool to reach up through the slot and open the doorknob from the inside. Also, if you go away for a vacation, in some houses (like ours, we have a sidelight window by the door), it's easy for a thief or anyone else to see that there's a big pile of mail all over the floor--so it's obvious nobody's home.

wackymother said:

We have a slot. It's okay. You can get a special basket that hangs under the slot and catches the mail so it doesn't end up all over the floor every day--that we don't have! I think you can take the basket off when you go on vacation.

The problem with a slot is that it's a security hazard. A thief can use a tool to reach up through the slot and open the doorknob from the inside. Also, if you go away for a vacation, in some houses (like ours, we have a sidelight window by the door), it's easy for a thief or anyone else to see that there's a big pile of mail all over the floor--so it's obvious nobody's home.

Click to expand...

You should have deadbolt locks on all your doors . They should be keyed.

bobcat said:

You should have deadbolt locks on all your doors . They should be keyed.

Click to expand...

I do and they are.

If you do get a slot, make sure it is wide enough to handle magazines without folding - less chance of damage.
Ron

Dogs Prefer Mail Slots.

By the time you get home from work, your dog will have had plenty of time to shred every bit of mail that came through the slot.

I mean, the dog barked its head off at the letter carrier anyway. Why not take out all that anger on the items the letter carried poked through the slot?

From Fido's perspective, jamming those bills & letters & magazines & circulars through the slot is nothing more than a way of taunting your loyal canine.

Woof !

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

Thanks, everyone. The security issues wackymother mentioned were also concerns I had. Our front door is two-thirds glass and anyone can see in. I think we can configure the slot and catch basket so as not to have mail all over the floor and to prevent a wire or tool from reaching the deadbolt. We don't have a dog so I don't need to worry about shredded mail. I usually don't leave outgoing mail for the mailman as that is a theft issue. I most often put it in a mail box. I have looked at the slots and realized the small ones just won't work for anything larger than a thin envelope. We will choose the larger mouthed one and design security features around it.

You've helped me make the decision. Thanks!

My slot has an extra piece on the inside of the door which directs the mail downward, prevents folks from peeking in through the slot, and also makes it more difficult to try to use a tool to unlock the door.

Attached Garage

I know lots of people with attached garages that have put the mail slot in the garage door. Solves all the problems mentioned.
Bart

IngridN said:

My choice would be slot. It gets really old having to put a stop to the mail whenever we leave town.

Ingrid

Click to expand...

Lucky you that it's even an option. I'm not sure where they get the people who work at the Post Office in my city, but they have proven time and again that they can not handle to concept of a temporary mail stop. To the point that we now pay a petsitter (we do have a cat, lol) $15 a day, even if we're only gone over the weekend. She not only plays with and feeds the cat, but she also brings in the mail and once alerted us to water in the basement during some rain storms.

Slot

I was totally a slot person until our dog ate a passport it took months to get.
Still a slot person arter installing a basket inside to keep the mail fron getting to the floor.
Yours, Jim

Make sure you don't put it too low to the ground, I believe there is a minimum acceptable height. Your post person is not required to do deep knee bends to deliver your mail to a door slot too low to the ground.

ttt said:

Make sure you don't put it too low to the ground, I believe there is a minimum acceptable height. Your post person is not required to do deep knee bends to deliver your mail to a door slot too low to the ground.

Click to expand...

From the USPS website:
Door slot construction standards

• The clear rectangular opening in the outside slot plate must be at least 1-1/2 inches wide and 7 inches in length.
• The slot must have a flap, hinged at the top if placed horizontally, or hinged on the side away from the hinge side of the door if placed vertically.
• When an inside hood is used to provide greater privacy, the hooded portion must not be below the bottom line of the slot in the outside plate if placed horizontally, or beyond the side line of the slot in the outside plate nearest the hinge edge of the door if placed vertically.
• The hood at its greatest projection must not be less than 2-1/16 inches beyond the inside face of the door.
• The bottom of the slot must be at least 30 inches above the finished floor line.

You can always get a locking mailbox...

There are many available and sites dedicated to them...

Google "locking mailbox" and you get a great selection...

They even help prevent incidents when someone may want to put something through a slot that will hurt you, your pet, or your home.

Pete