Security Hierarchy for Commercial Mail Receptacles

The staff at USA Building Supplies is often asked by potential clients which commercial mailbox is the most secure in the marketplace. The commercial mail receptacle spectrum of products is typically classified into four different categories which are cluster box units, 4C mailboxes, horizontal mailboxes, and vertical mail receptacles. The two most recent additions to the commercial mailbox family of products are often regarded as the most secure, whereas horizontal and vertical mailboxes are regarded as more apt to having security issues.

Which is More Secure the Cluster Box or the 4C Mailbox?

Many times customers are weighing the pros and cons of either cluster box units or 4C horizontal mailboxes when deciding on which commercial mailbox is best for their situation. When the security of the mail receptacle comes up in the comparison, most commercial mail receptacle specialists agree that the 4C mailbox and cluster box unit are very similar. In fact, some commercial mailbox manufacturers use the same tenant and parcel locker doors for both products. In addition, both commercial mail receptacles use the same tenant locks and parcel captive locking mechanism. The 4C mailbox and cluster box also features the same anti-phish plate with its saw tooth design in the interior of the outgoing mail carrier access door to prevent break-ins. All this being said one representative at USA Building Supplies favors the 4C horizontal mailbox in terms of security primarily because most 4C installations are recessed into a wall or kiosk which further prevents unwanted acts by less than good intentioned guests.

Horizontal & Vertical Mailbox Security Seen as Comparable

Vertical and horizontal mail receptacles are classified by the USPS as 4B+ compliant which allows these mailboxes to be used in replacement situations. As the turn of Century came, the U.S. Postal Service became much more concerned about the security of the mail and put higher standards forth for commercial mailboxes. Vertical and horizontal mailboxes had been around for decades but little had been done up until that point in terms of enhancing the security. Therefore, the USPS put forth new requirements to strengthen the security of the carrier access point for both the horizontal and vertical mailboxes and downgraded the mail receptacles as far as the applications the units could be used.

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