While most communications these days usually go through electronic mail, many still rely on regular mail to have important documents and parcels delivered to them. Due to a busy lifestyle that you may be leading these days though, checking one’s maibox several times in a day can be quite bothersome.
This would probably even be more difficult if the mailbox were locates a bit far from the house’s entrance during bad weather. Technology has, thankfully, given a solution to such a problem through sensors that can now be installed in mailbox. These can send out alerts whenever mail or packages arrive. Think of it as a notification similar to an incoming e-mail which, instead, is meant for regular mail which arrives in your mailbox.
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So what exactly is a mailbox alarm sensor?
A mailbox alarm sensor is actually a wireless device that can be placed in your mailbox. This device can be triggered to send signals eerytime your mailbox is opened. The signal ends up as a notification on any device that is connected to the sensor.
What kind of sensors are available in the market?
There are actually two kinds of sensors that you can get these days. There are those that you can get off the shelf and there are those do-it-yourself sensors like the DIY-2 Wave Smart Home Sensor.
Off-The-Shelf Mailbox Alarms
The good thing about off-the-shelf mailbox sensors is that they can be easily installed without much of a learning curve. The bad thing though that alerts are pretty much all that these can do. These can’t be programmed nor hooked up to any smart home system. The features that these types of sensors offer are pretty basic and simple.
DIY-2 Wave Smart Home Sensor
These types of sensors are also wireless gadgets that can be installed on tomeyour mailbox, but with more features than the ones that you can buy off the shelf.
These sensors can be linked to smart home systems, such as Alexa, so they can be customized to suit your personal preferences. An example would be the ability to customize alert tones to your preferred tune. The problem with these types of sensors though is that they require a bit of technical knowledge for these to be installed properly. Installation isn’t as easy as compared to those that can be bought off the shelf.
Why should you get a mailbox sensor?
Although this may seem like such a small matter to bother with, there are many reasons why you should think of getting a mailbox sensor.
Getting your mail on time
You must have had the experience of being on your toes, waiting for an important letter, document or package. Mail sensors do indeed serve a purpose during situations like these. With mail sensors, you get up-to-the-minute alerts whenever your mail arrives so you won’t have to worry about not receiving a very important piece of document on time.
Convenience
Your busy lifestyle may not allow you to realize it, but every minute that you can save for other things is precious time. Regularly checking your mail may be quite inconvenient, especially when you have much on your mind. Having a mailbox sensor makes it more convenient for you have much on your mind. Having a mailbox sensor makes it more convenient by informing you of any mail or package that goes into your mailbox so you are aware of each delivery without you needing to visit your mailbox several times in a day.
Security
Research has shown there are around 1.7 million packages stolen in the US on an annual basis. This number has been continuously increasing. Having a mailbox sensor can give you some peace of mind. With a mailbox sensor, you are made aware of every package and delivery that goes into the mailbox. Knowing the arrival of a package makes it easy for you to pick up the package the moment it arrives.
Connectivity
Since home systems like Alexa and Google Home are a thing these days, every possible household appliance is somehow connected to these systems. These systems make automation throughout the whole household possible, including mailbox sensors. This is because automation actually means added convenience for the homeowner.
Connectivity also means personalization. This means that alerts for your mailbox can be made to fit your lifestyle and your preferences.
What features should you take note of in off-the-shelf and DIY mailbox sensors?
Sensors that can be bought off the shelf are easy to install. Without having much technical knowledge, these can be easily installed to your mailbox and immediately used. The alarm though is a pretty basic one and it can’t be set to one’s personal preferences. As for connectivity, off-the-shelf alarms cannot be connected to smart home systems such as Alexa or Google Home.
On the other hand, there are the DIY mailbox sensors that can be programmed to fit personal preferences. These may also be linked to smart home systems. These, however, need a bit of technical know-how in order to be installed.
There are other things that you also have to consider when choosing what kind of mailbox sensor you should choose.
Range
You’ll have to check the distance that a sensor can cover from the mailbox to the inside of your house. The usual distance that these sensors can cover is around 1600 feet. You may encounter problems with the signals if the distance goes beyond this distance.
In case the distance between your mailbox and house exceeds the recommended distance, you may have to buy an additional Wifi or Z-Wave repeater. These repeaters extend coverage beyond the recommended range. Between Wifi repeaters and Z-wave repeaters, though, Z-wave repeaters tend to be more efficients since they work within a mesh network making transmission of signals faster than Wifi repeaters.
Smart Home Integration
If your home makes use of a smart home system like Alexa or Google Home, you may want to check if the mailbox sensor you plan to buy is compatible with the smart home system you have. Integrating your mailbox sensor with your smart home system will make personalization easier. You can set up a tune to be your alert, set up light colors to accompany your mailbox alert, or even have a message sent to your mobile phone to alert you of an incoming mail or parcel. You can set up your system using a Z-Wave Hun, IFTTT or Smart Things Webcore.
Mailbox Material
You may not have thought about this but the material used to make your mailbox actually matters. Materials such as wood or hard plastic won’t affect signal transmission from your mailbox sensor. If your mailbox is made of metal though, this may serve as an interference which may lead to problems when it comes to signal transmission. In such a case, you may have to install the sensor outside your mailbox.
People are indeed into automation these days since in today’s busy lifestyle, every second is considered to be a luxury. Having a mailbox sensor relieves you of added stress so time spent on your mailbox can be devoted to other more worthwhile activities. This is probably the best argument to convince you to invest in one right now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t the mailbox sensor connect to the smart home system?
This may be because the distance between the sensor and the house is too far that it goes beyond the recommended range. In this case, you may have to install an additional repeater in order to extend coverage. This may be either a Wifi repeater or Z-wave repeater.
Why is the sensor not consistent in sending alerts?
There may be two reason to this problem. One reason may be because the sensor not being properly installed and powered. Another reason may be the mailbox instead. If your mailbox is made of metal, this may interfere with the signals and alerts being sent by the mailbox sensor.
Can you link the sensor to Alexa?
Yes. Many of these sensors are compatible with Alexa so you can actually link your mailbox sensor to this smart home system.
