Mailbox Repair

During the the winter months, our crews do our best to treat the roads safely and without causing any damage to private property. However, it is inevitable that there may be some minor damage. Street Services does offer mailbox repair services for those mailboxes that have been damaged by Town snow plows. If your mailbox has been damaged, please contact the Town Garage (860-648-6366) during business hours, Monday through Friday from 7:00 am - 3:30 pm, to report the damage. It is important that you report this damage as soon as possible so we can come out and assess the damage and make any necessary repairs. The cut off for mailbox repair is May 1st of that winter season. 

Help us, help you!

Snow thrown against a mailbox is often sufficient to cause damage to a less than perfect installation. Moisture content of the snow varies between storms, the higher the moisture content the heavier the snow will be. You may wish to experiment by filling a recycling box with snow from somewhere on your lawn and note how heavy it feels. Then empty it and refill it with the slushy snow from the end of your driveway. You may need help to lift it. This snow, mixed with the snow melt caused by salt and traffic may be ten or more times as heavy. 

How you can help:

  • Inspect your mailbox post for age cracks, dry rot, deterioration at the bottom where the post goes into the ground. Posts with cracks, dry rot, or deterioration at the bottom are likely to fail when wet snow hits them.
  •  Check the attachment hardware. Rusty nails or screws eventually fail. Use long enough screws to ensure the box and its support arm are secure.
  • Lubricate the hinge points on the mailbox door. Constant opening and closing of a mailbox door with rusty hinge points cause the pivot holes to enlarge and the heads of the pins (rivets) to pull through allowing the door to come off.
  • Keep the mailbox door closed.
  • Keep in mind that the larger the mailbox the more square inches of area are exposed to the force of the snow. A larger more sturdy post and mount are needed to support the load.
  • If purchasing a new post, purchase one that is of a dense pressure treated wood. If you pick one up and it does not feel “heavy”, pass it by. It will deteriorate quickly.
  • Decorative posts turned on a lathe to make them round in places reduces the strength of the post. They will not withstand the twisting torque motion caused by snow hitting the side of the mailbox. The damage caused is usually a split along the grain of the wood starting at the support arm or at one of the narrowest points.
  • If the Town of South Windsor damages a mailbox during snow removal operations, the Public Works Department will decide to either replace or repair the mailbox. All costs associated with repair or replacement shall not exceed $75.00. If you mailbox has been damaged please call 860-648-6366 to report it the day after the storm.
  • Mailboxes that are knocked over by heavy, wet snow where no contact with the plow has occurred and where they have not been maintained or adequately mounted or braced will not be repaired by the Town. Also, mailboxes damaged by private contractors, homeowners clearing snow, errant drivers, etc., will not be fixed by the Town.