Submit Project Specs & Plans HerePostal Mailboxes for Apartments
Vertical Receptacles are the Apartment Mailbox for Small Multi-Family Complexes
Vertical mailboxes are prominently used in apartment complexes that have approximately less than twenty tenants. The major reasons vertical mailboxes are utilized in these smaller communities is economics and availability of wall space. It is important to note that vertical receptacles are USPS 4B+ compliant, which means this type of mailbox is USPS Approved for replacement or remodel only. USPS regulation STD-4C states that for all new construction in wall installation situations, the 4C horizontal mailbox must be used. Variances from this regulation for your apartment mailboxes must be cleared with local postal authorities before purchase and installation.
Vertical mailboxes are typically being ordered these days in the replacement of similar receptacles due to basic wear and tear. Most vertical mail receptacles from manufacturer are similar in dimensions; therefore minor installation adjustments can be made in the field with the one major exception being the replacement retrofit vertical mailboxes. Retrofit vertical mailboxes were the USPS Approved receptacle until the 1970s when the USPS updated the postal certification standards. Today’s USPS 4B+ compliant vertical style apartment mailboxes have larger compartment sizes in terms of width and depth than the retrofit receptacles. In addition, the largest mailbox module available in the current vertical mailbox is seven compartments, whereas the old style vertical receptacle was allowed to have more compartments than seven. The dimensional and module cluster differences sometimes can make the replacement of retrofit vertical mailboxes more difficult. In these cases, it is typically best to consult with an apartment mailbox specialist at USA Building Supplies so he or she can guide you through this process.
The U.S. Postal Service is currently on a big push for higher security commercial mailboxes, therefore the national authorities are attempting to phase out vertical mailboxes. Vertical mailboxes are far less secure and are built with greater seam tolerances that today’s centralized receptacles. Regardless, it will difficult for the Postal Service to phase out these apartment mailboxes, because the older apartment complexes simply do not have the wall space available to accommodate a 4C mailbox.