FAQs
Is my mailbox owned by the post office?
Although the United States Postal Service (USPS) delivers to your mailbox, that doesn’t necessarily mean they own it. In most residential areas the USPS does own the mailbox, but a lot of commercial mailboxes are owned by the business and property owners themselves.
The main difference between owning and not owning the mailbox is maintenance. Commercial mailboxes owned by a business are responsible for their upkeep. If your business doesn’t own the mailbox, then you can reach out to your local post office for any maintenance issues.
If you’re installing a new mailbox lock the USPS has a comprehensive list of instructions on how to set up and mount your mailbox in both commercial and residential settings.
Does the post office have a master key for my mailbox?
Yes. Your mail carrier will have a key that opens a cluster of mailboxes for a commercial building, apartment complex, or other facilities with multiple tenants. Now, this doesn’t mean they have the individual key for your specific mail compartment on-hand. You’ll have to call ahead for a new office mailbox key.
How do you replace business mailbox keys?
If you lost your mailbox key, there are two options: contact your local post office or call a commercial locksmith. If your office mailbox is owned by the USPS, you can call them for a replacement. The USPS charges a standard fee of about $20 for replacement mailbox keys.
Businesses who own their mailbox can call a commercial locksmith for a new mailbox key or a new mailbox lock. In some cases, you might be able to get a spare key from your property manager, but a commercial locksmith can do it on their own and come directly to you.
Can I rekey my mailbox lock?rekey my mailbox lock?
In most instances, you can’t rekey your mailbox lock and will need to change mailbox locks. A professional locksmith can easily change your mailbox locks and make brand new keys that are specifically made for your office mailbox, while also maintaining the highest quality functionality and security.
Locks are rekeyed by disassembling and then reassembling the mailbox lock. Most mailbox lock cores are secured by a retention pin, which cannot be removed without tearing off the chamber cover. Replacing the lock is the best solution for office mailboxes where nobody, including the business or property owner, has a spare key.
Can I replace my mailbox lock myself?
You can certainly try, but as we mentioned previously, the mailbox holds valuable documents crucial to your business’s success. Important correspondence like that warrants the best possible security, and nobody understands that more than a commercial locksmith. If you want to know how to change a mailbox lock, read on.
Why You Need A Commercial Mailbox Lock Change
Whether you’re a new business building an office headquarters or an existing company moving to a new facility, a commercial mailbox change is essential. Your company’s ability to operate proficiently depends on paperwork being delivered, organized, and secured — and that all starts with a quality mailbox lock.
Office mailboxes hold important documents like invoices, money orders, bank statements, contracts, and employee records that must be protected and remain confidential. At United Locksmith, we believe you deserve the comfort of knowing that your mailbox isn’t susceptible to tampering, so you can focus on running your business.
There are three things every business owner should know about when it comes to changing commercial mailbox locks:
Types Of Commercial Mailbox Locks
There isn’t one universal locking solution you can use on a commercial mailbox lock. This is true for just about any other locking mechanism that you will come into contact with. There are multiple options that allow commercial building managers to choose the new mailbox lock tailored to their needs.
Before you install a commercial mailbox lock, you have to take the time to figure out which locking method you want to use. Taking the time to identify the best locking method will make the lock installation process much easier, and it will also greatly reduce the chances of any mistakes.
You can choose from an assortment of padlocks, locksets, and locking mailboxes. However, padlocks aren’t suited to be used as a mailbox lock for every type of mailbox. Not all mailboxes have a hasp for a padlock to be attached effectively. You can always retrofit your mailbox to work with a padlock, but that can cost you more time and money.
Most of the locksets that you find on a mailbox lock are very similar to some file cabinet locks and they are put in place to ensure that only you have access to your mail. The use of mailbox locks helps increase your privacy and allows you to keep your mail much more secure.
It is best to choose a mailbox and mailbox lock that is approved by the Postmaster General. You can get most of these mailboxes at your local hardware store, as a majority of them have to be approved by the postmaster general before they are made available for retail.
Locking mailboxes are also an option for commercial properties. A locking mailbox might make use of a mailbox lockset on the front of the mailbox, which is used to give patrons access to their mail.
In other instances, the mailbox might be built in a way that seals off your mail once it is inserted into the mailbox. This is usually accomplished by having an access panel built into the side or the front of the mailbox.
Changing Commercial Mailbox Locks
Locks found on office mailboxes get a lot of use. And the more use a lock gets, the more important it is to have that lock functioning properly. Changing the locks on a mailbox is similar to changing the lock on a door, with a few important differences.
The largest difference is usually in the mechanics of the lock. Where a door lock usually retracts a bolt to open, the plug of the key in most mailboxes is fixed to a bar that rotates with the key turn.
The first step in replacing the lock is to open the locked mailbox. For a standard office mailbox, there may be an additional key that is held by the manager or property owner. If the key has broken or you lost you mailbox key in the lock or is missing, the lock can still be opened.
There will be a pin on the lock either turned facing up or to the side. This pin is removed, most often by hand. However, there may be a nut that needs to be unfastened, and the lock can be removed from the hole.
The new lock is then inserted into the hole and a new pin is placed to keep the lock secure. If the bar that is bolted to the lock is too long to be slid in with the lock, it may need to be unfastened. Once the plug lock is secured to the bar and the pin is replaced, the lock is ready for use.
Commercial Mailbox Change Prices
Saving money when possible is what all businesses aim to accomplish, especially around the office. Anything you can do yourself without having to hire a professional is good practice and makes a lot of sense. But when it comes to a commercial mailbox lock change, you don’t want to leave anything up to chance.
At United Locksmith, lockout services start at $35. Unless your mailbox key is locked in the mailbox, you are going to need to replace the lock. Lock changes are an additional cost starting at $35. A mobile locksmith who is coming to your location is almost always going to charge a standard service fee for arrival and assessment of $15, but you are looking at an average cost of around $85.
Professional Business Mailbox Change Service
United Locksmith is staffed with trained professionals that can assess the locks and inform you of the services you need. You don’t need to have any prior knowledge of the lock products or know which ones are the most secure. Our expertise comes with every service to help you make the right decision.
Within approximately 15 to 30 minutes of your phone call, a professional locksmith will arrive at your business. This of course depends on your business’s proximity to one of our available specialists, but we pride ourselves on fast, quality response. All of our locksmiths are mobile technicians who spend 95% of their time out on the road.
Every situation is different, and there are several different mailbox solutions that you can take advantage of to suit your needs. The best option is to contact an experienced commercial locksmith and solve the problem with ease and efficiency.
There is no reason to weaken the security of your business. It doesn’t matter if your business mailbox lock is in an industrial building or an office, United Locksmith is ready to help.
