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Mailbox Maintenance & Repairs

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Mailbox Maintenance & Repairs

Proper mailbox placement helps your mail carrier safely deliver your mail and gives Village snowplows enough room to clear the street without damaging your mailbox.

Installing Your Mailbox

Before installing or moving a curbside mailbox, familiarize yourself with the current U.S. Postal Service installation guidelines.
Before digging or driving a post or spike into the ground, contact JULIE for a free utility locate. Dial 811, call 800-892-0123 or submit a request online. Wait until the utilities have responded and the approved start time has been reached before digging.

If Your Mailbox Is Damaged

If Engineering and Public Works determines that a properly installed and maintained mailbox was directly struck by a Village snowplow, the Village will replace it with a standard mailbox.
You will be responsible for repairing or replacing the mailbox if:

  • It was not installed according to the current USPS guidelines.
  • The mailbox or post was weak, rotted or damaged.
  • It was knocked down by the weight or force of snow coming off the plow rather than by direct contact with the snowplow.

The Village does not replace decorative or brick mailboxes. If it is determined that a decorative or brick mailbox was directly struck by a Village snowplow, you may be eligible for reimbursement of up to $100.
To report mailbox damage, dial 311 within Schaumburg or submit an online Customer Service Request.
Once service has been requested, Engineering and Public Works will inspect the mailbox, determine what caused the damage and who is responsible for the repair.

Mailbox Maintenance

Homeowners are responsible for keeping their mailbox and post in good condition. The Village will not replace a mailbox or post that was already weak, rotted, rusted or damaged before it was knocked down during snow and ice operations.
It is a good idea to inspect your mailbox at least once a year. Check for the following:

  • A weak, rotted, rusted or leaning post;
  • Loose bolts, brackets or hinges;
  • Damaged bracing or decorative pieces;
  • Missing or faded address numbers; and
  • Damage caused by mowing or weed trimming.

Painting or sealing wood and metal parts can help protect them from moisture and weather. Residents should also keep snow, vehicles, garbage containers and other obstructions away from the mailbox so the mail carrier can reach it safely.