CALIFORNIA— The U.S. Postal Service is asking homeowners to inspect and repair their mailboxes during Mailbox Improvement Week. Each year, the Postal Service designates the third full week of May as “Mailbox Improvement Week” to encourage customers to examine and, where necessary, improve the appearance of their mailboxes.

“Repairing suburban and rural mailboxes improves the appearance of our community and makes delivering and receiving mail safer for our letter carriers and customers,’ says Sacramento Postmaster Gabriel Magdaleno.

“The Postal Service makes this annual request because of the wear and tear that occurs to mailboxes every year,” adds Magdaleno.

Some of the typical activities’ homeowners may need to do include:

• Replacing loose hinges on a mailbox door
• Repainting a mailbox that may have started to rust or peel
• Remounting a loosened mailbox post
• Replacing or adding house numbers

“If a homeowner plans to install a new mailbox or replace a worn one, he or she must use only Postal Service – approved traditional, contemporary or locking full/limited-service mailboxes,” said Magdaleno. “Customers must be careful when purchasing curbside mail receptacles because the use of unapproved boxes is prohibited. Customers may use a custom-built mailbox, but they must consult with their local post office to ensure it conforms to guidelines applying to size, strength and quality of construction.”

Information on the use of names or numbers on mailboxes or answers to any other questions can be obtained from your local postmaster.

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