Anti-arson | Anti-virus | Anti-bacterial | Fireproof | Anti-burglary | Anti-mail theft | Anti-vandal | Flood-proof | Anti-terrorist | Saves house energy | Cuts CO2 emissions
Frequently asked questions
1. Is IdealGuard™ for me?
2. Why do I need IdealGuard™ if I already have CCTV or an intruder/fire alarm?
3. Does home insurance cover arson fires?
4. How do I reduce property maintenance costs by fitting IdealGuard™?
5. Is IdealGuard™ suitable for individuals of pensionable age, backsufferers and disabled ?
6. In what way IdealGuard™ products are different from security letter/mail boxes available on the market? For example, the anti-arson ones with the fire extinguisher?
7. Is it possible to install a portable fire extinguisher and/or intumescent lining inside the IdealGuard™ as an additional means of protection against fire if I wish so?
8. Is it possible for IdealGuard™ secure letterbox attachment products to be certified as secure and/or fire resistant and have them installed on security and/or fire rated doors?
9. Why having protection from liquids so important?
10. Are there any restrictions to the items of mail that can be delivered?
11. Can I fit IdealGuard™ myself?
12. Should I tell the postman that I have a new secure letterbox attachment installed?
13. Were IdealGuard™ products tested?
ANSWERS 1. Is IdealGuard™ for me?
With new legislation in force in the UK, such as The Fire Safety Bill, Construction Products Regulation, The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and the constantly updated Building Regulations Part B (Fire Safety), Part L (conservation of Fuel and Power) and Part Q (Security), improving security and energy efficiency in the letterbox is not optional any more in non-domestic premises and in some of the residential premises too, which are covered by the legislation.
In addition to the mandatory legislation, common sense tells us that for the same reason you have your front doors locked, you must also have security against crime and vandalism in the front door letterbox for protection of your most valuable assets, such as your family, high-priced property and contents. Also, you do not want to waste money on energy bills.
Simple calculation proves that fitting IdealGuard™ for physical security, saving on energy bills, and reducing insurance premiums is much more economical than damaged property restoration, replacing contents and stolen valuables, like cars (car keys are known to be 'fished out' through the unprotected letter plate), paying increased insurance premiums, and suffering the consequential loss.
If you are considering the most cost-effective means of improving the security and energy efficiency of a property, you should take the opportunity and install IdealGuard™.
IdealGuard™ products are recommended since they are world's first and world leaders in letterbox advanced maintenance-free physical security and functionality in conjunction with saving house energy, protection of the environment and ergonomics for the user and a postman. With IdealGuard™ product fitted indoors, you will receive your mail in the traditional way, but with more comfort and security.
IdealGuard™ security attachment product for a letterbox is the only product that expels liquids and is suitable for fitting to the letterbox at any level: high- and low. burglars can easily mitigate the risk of being caught by wearing hoods and caps.
2. Why do I need IdealGuard™ if I already have CCTV or intruder/fire alarm?
Whatever locks, alarms and CCTV may be installed, the unprotected letterbox offers an easy and attractive route into a property for perpetrators. Those systems and warning signs cannot substitute for the physical security in the letterbox and are powerless to stop vandals, arsonists, thieves, burglars and terrorists who will use any opportunity to attack your property.
CCTV has only proved effective for police work after a crime has happened. The effectiveness of CCTV is also being questioned as burglars can easily mitigate the risk of being caught by wearing hoods and caps.
3. Does home insurance cover arson fires?
This is clarified by Morgan Clark Loss Assessors: "According to government statistics, 20% of fires in dwellings are caused by arson. That's a significant number of property fires in the UK, and they may not all be covered by their respective home insurance policies.
Even if you did not know the arsonist who attacked your property, you may run into some issues when making a fire damage claim. In certain scenarios, the policy owner may still be held liable for the damage to their property and have their fire insurance claim rejected by their insurance company.
This could be the case if you knew about a potential fire risk to your property. Your claim could also be rejected if your property doesn't comply with the necessary safety legislation, including the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005."
Also, you might not be covered if you're away from home for more than 30 days a year, unless you have unoccupied home insurance.
"One of the best ways to protect yourself from having a fire insurance claim rejected after an arson attack is to take measures to prevent an arson attack in the first place. Then, should anything happen, you will be in a much better standing to claim on your home insurance."
Fitting IdealGuard™ products eliminates or greatly reduces the risk of letterbox arson.
4. How do I reduce property maintenance costs by fitting IdealGuard™?
Installing IdealGuard™ secure by design, multifunctional eco product to the letterbox reduces property losses caused by fires, criminals, and vandals. According to the Housing Health Cost Calculator from BRE, the savings to society just from eliminating the risk of fire is £104,325.
If property was insured, fitting IdealGuard™ would stop the accidents that would give rise to building, contents, and health insurance claims and insurance premiums going up in the following year. Insurance companies can cut millions in their losses from the claims on such accidents.
However, in the absence of letterbox protection, the insurance company can refuse the payout if it turns out that the mandatory legislation requirement to protect the premises from known fire and security risks was not met by the 'responsible person'.
Building owners and managers, such as Local Government Authorities and Housing Associations, can save millions of pounds in losses that were not covered by insurance by installing IdealGuard™product.
Also, you will better protect the property when it is temporarily not occupied, so insurance typically does not cover vandalism, theft and malicious damage to the building and contents.
5. Is IdealGuard™ suitable for individuals of pensionable age, backsufferers and disabled?
With IdealGuard™ product fitted to the letterbox, your mail does not fall on the floor, so hygiene is improved, and where the letterbox aperture is arranged at high level, you do not need to bend over in order to collect your mail.
IdealGuard™ product is helpful for people in wheelchairs who cannot access mail that is scattered on the floor, but can access mail from IdealGuard™.
IdealGuard™ will leave the required door clearance for access to the property for most doors, in accordance with the (DDA) Disability Discrimination Act and Building Regulations Part M (Access to and Use of Buildings).
6. In what way IdealGuard™ products are different from security letter/mail boxes available on the market? For example, the anti-arson ones with the fire extinguisher?
IdealGuard™ new brand products are unique in many respects and patents protected. They are very different from any security letter/mail box available on the market and outperform the known brands. These are the only letterbox security products on the market with a principle of work based on the prevention of risks.
The main unique benefits are as following: secure by design by filtering out most hazards, especially liquids, at letter plate point and suitable for fitting indoors and outdoors at any level of height. The superior security of the maintenance-free products is complemented by the enhanced functionality and stylish design, and an opportunity to save house energy and fight Global Warming.
The exceptional security against fire and arson attacks is achieved by providing a three-tiered maintenance-free protection without the use of a fire-extinguisher:
- Liquids cannot be introduced unless under pressure and would be pushed out due to the force of gravity;
- Most solid potential hazards are filtered out at the letter plate point in compliance with the adjustable security level set to customer requirements;
- The tightly sealed strong, steel body provides further protection, starves the fire of oxygen and stops all draughts.
This concept is very different to any letter/mail boxes available on the market that essentially rely on containment of the hazards inside the letter/mail box and may further rely on the work of an internal fire extinguisher or intumescent fabric after there is a developed fire.
7. Is it possible to install a portable fire extinguisher and/or intumescent lining inside the IdealGuard™ as an additional means of protection against fire if I wish so?
While not a standard requirement, IdealGuard™ products allow fitting of a portable fire extinguisher and/or intumescent lining.
8. Is it possible for IdealGuard™ security products to be certified as secure and/or fire resistant and have them installed on security and/or fire rated doors?
Though often called letter boxes, IdealGuard™ products are actually letterbox security attachments, such as letterbox security cowls, for easy, non-invasive or face-fixing behind the mail slot as remotely installed security hardware. They are remotely installed security hardware, and unregulated just like letterbox security cowls. Currently there are no standards and mandatory tests for letterbox security cowls.
The IdealGuard™ products are designed for use with most kinds of doors and letter plates and provide an unmatched supreme security and fire protection in the letterbox. They are independent of the type of letter plate or door, not meant to be used in isolation and for fire resistance, and cannot be certified independently to meet standards.In the case of fire doors that allow surface mounted hardware, such as security cowls, the surface mounted IdealGuard™ products will not affect the fire resistance of the fire door.
IdealGuard™/U and /L products are anti-arson and firestop products that can be used to seal letterbox opening for impeding the spread of fire and smoke even when the letter plate is open or partly open.They can expel any volume of liquid from the letter/mail box at the letter plate point. That unsurpassed level of protection against arson exceeds by far the requirements of the DHF technical specification TS 008 for security of letter plate assemblies against 500ml volume of petrol.
Because they are not used in isolation, a security classification or a fire resistance rating cannot be given in isolation. If testing is necessary for a letter plate assembly including the IdealGuard™ product, it will meet or surpass TS 008:2022 and BS EN Standard 13724:2013 criteria very easily.The security classification and/or fire-resistance rating can be related to the whole door assembly only. As the design and construction of the security classified and/or fire-rated door assemblies varies greatly, any test report for the security classified and/or fire-rated door assembly with fitted IdealGuard™ product should be available from the door manufacturer.
9. Why having protection from liquids so important?
The Fire Protection Association published (in 2012) that each year in England and Wales, more than 60 people die and 2000 are injured in fires that are deliberately lit, while the annual cost of arson is estimated at £1.3 billion. A disproportionate share of accidents with a devastating effect on the property and the occupants resulted from fires started with inflammable liquid accelerants. Police reported that 95% of arsons in dwellings are caused by pouring flammable liquids through the letter plate aperture.
Such accidents are especially dangerous, as liquid accelerants give out twice as much heat from the same mass as solid ones, burn twice as fast and may produce large quantities of flammable vapours, which may lead to an instantaneous explosion.
What if the terrorists start doing that?
The choice of weapons by Islamic extremist attackers, like all such militants, has been determined largely by what can be obtained with relative ease. The terrorists had already tried using liquid explosives, and as a result, for years now, passengers have not been allowed to take liquids on board the plane.
Twin Towers in New York were designed to withstand any kind of natural calamity, but they collapsed on 9/11 simply because the steel frame could not withstand the exceptional heat produced by the burning liquid kerosene from the planes.
The current trend towards increased security at most events and facilities will make these harder to target. One of the upshots of this is that alternative areas may be targeted instead, such as properties via letter and mail boxes.
10. Are there any restrictions to the items of mail that can be delivered?
As you would probably agree, there is a limit to the size of items that can be delivered through a letter plate. Items, like thick catalogues, magazines and newspapers, etc., cannot be inserted. Many letter plates are so narrow that the only way to deliver even a standard letter post item is to have it folded or left in the door with the letter plate flap open.
IdealGuard™ is fitted with a large size matching letter plate 4" x 12", which is suitable for daily delivery without folding of letter post items not exceeding A4 size and 25mm in thickness. This letter plate is in full compliance with the Letter Size Guide© introduced by Royal Mail Group Plc in 2004. It matches the requirements of PAS 24 and is in compliance with Approved Document Q for security.
IdealGuard™ products are in compliance with SBD New Homes 2010 document requirements to letter plates and letter boxes and with the current European Standard EN BS 13724:2013 'Postal services. Apertures of private letter boxes and letter plates. Requirements and test methods', but exceed both of these documents in security, functionality, saving house energy, ergonomics, and protection of the environment.
IdealGuard™ accepts DVDs, CDs and video cassettes with ease. Even magazines, not exceeding A4 size, and newspapers can be delivered as long as they are flexible and not over 25mm in thickness each. The delivery of the multitude of the post items can be easily split into flexible stacks where each stack thickness is not over 25mm.
However, items that are different in size and flexibility from the standard letter post items, which are over A4 size and over 25mm in thickness, are not allowed, since the unrestricted delivery would defy the security purpose. It is important to understand that there can be restrictions to their delivery for the sake of your security.
When you are expecting an unusually large number of mail items and the IdealGuard™ limited capacity can be an issue, you can leave the IdealGuard™ door open, whereas IdealGuard™/L and /S models allow you to take it off.
During the time period, when the IdealGuard™ door is left open or taken off, the security will not be at its full. This should not be a problem in many cases where the letterbox's full high security is not required round the clock.
11. Can I fit IdealGuard™ myself?
With the product, you will receive IdealGuard™ Fitting Instructions and User Manuals. If you are a DIY person experienced enough to fit a letter plate, then you can fit IdealGuard™ yourself. Otherwise, get a handyman or a joiner to do the work.
12. Should I tell the postman that I have a new secure letter box installed?
IdealGuard™ is really good news for the long-suffering postmen and postwomen. There is a duty for a postman to deliver mail through the letter box. Our postmen are used to struggling with narrow letter plates, so regardless of the letter plate size, they instinctively tend to roll the mail up first and then push it in. Often, they leave the mail items only partially inserted through the letter plate.
We cared about the postmen when we designed IdealGuard™. The letter plate flap is opened by a natural downward hand action without twisting the wrist, like when the door handle is pressed down. Delivering mail, including into the low level fitted letter box, becomes much easier. In addition, the postman's fingers are protected against pets, naughty children, high strength secondary flaps, and tight brush draught seals.
Delivering mail items over the letter plate flap is all that is needed for securely delivering mail inside IdealGuard™. There is absolutely no need to push your fingers inside the letter box. Fitted with the large size 4"x12" letter plate, it can easily accept all items of mail up to A4 size without folding, and with IdealGuard™, this large size letter plate does not undermine the letter box security.
All this relieves the work of a postman and gives him protection at work. Like with everything new, it helps if this is explained to the postman when he encounters IdealGuard™ for the first time, so he can realise his benefits right away.
13. Were IdealGuard™ products tested?
IdealGuard™ products are security attachments that are essential for improving security in the letterbox, but they fall beyond the scope of TS 008:2022 and BS EN Standard 13724:2013 because they are designated as remotely fitted non-essential face-fixed individual components. They were tested for expulsion of liquids and filtering out solid hazards at letter plate point. In addition, model-appropriate tests were carried out:
- ingress protection;
- perimeter seal fire resistance;
- smoke resistance;
- mail retrieval;
- manipulation test;
- fishing test:
- arson attack:
- option to lock;
- strength;
- corrosion resistance.
Pairing most of the commonly used letter plates with IdealGuard™ letterbox security attachments, would be an easy to implement fire safety and security solution that would meet and exceed the requirements of BS EN 13724:2013, TS 008:2022, TS 009:2022, Approved Document Q, RRO, Fire Safety and Building Safety Acts.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any more questions.