Beginner’s Guide to Sign Maintenance

Maintenance is an underestimated, unsung hero. Cars and automobiles, heavy machinery, and facilities all require maintenance to keep things running smoothly. No maintenance means disrepair, disorder, and reduced lifespan. As a business owner, having signage that goes without maintenance is like driving cross-country in a rundown car. You won’t get far.

Not only that, but a neglected sign says all the wrong things about your business. So, you need to come up with a maintenance plan for your business signage to keep it functioning and looking great. We have put together a beginner’s guide to sign maintenance to help you get started.

Key Takeaways: Beginner’s Guide to Sign Maintenance

1. Importance of Sign Maintenance: Just like any other machinery or asset, business signage requires regular maintenance to ensure it functions properly and continues to reflect positively on your business. Neglecting sign maintenance can lead to a decline in appearance and functionality.
2. Signs That Need Maintenance: Keep an eye out for signs that indicate your business signage needs maintenance. These signs include outdated software for digital signage, broken sections in the sign, glitches during daily operations, and outdated messaging.
3. Quick Maintenance Tips: Here are three quick maintenance tips you can implement today:
   • Clean the exterior of your signs to remove grime and debris, giving them a fresh look.
   • Consider providing shade or natural cover for outdoor signs to protect them from the elements.
   • Replace faded or missing lettering promptly to maintain readability and a professional appearance.
4. General Sign Maintenance Do’s:
   • Clean signage regularly, about four times a year, using a non-abrasive cloth or scrubber.
   • Use a mild soap diluted in warm water for cleaning, and ensure compatibility with signage materials.
   • Clean one section of a sign at a time for thorough maintenance.
   • For signs with electronic components, consider hiring a professional electrician or sign technician for interior cleaning.
5. General Sign Maintenance Don’ts:
   • Avoid scrubbing signage with raised surfaces, as it may wear away paint.
   • Never use steel wool, abrasive scrub brushes, or industrial-strength cleaners.
   • Prevent moisture from accumulating on signs and never allow cleaning liquids to dry on their surfaces.
   • Refrain from using alcohol-based cleaners, razor blades on residue, pressure washers, or steam cleaning.
6. Seeking Professional Help: If you’re unsure about maintenance or encounter more complex issues with your signage, consider contacting a professional sign maintenance service like Tupp Signs. Their technicians can help clean and maintain your signs to ensure they continue to make a positive impression on customers.

Signs Your Sign Requires Maintenance

We understand that running a business or facility preoccupies you for a large portion of the day. Yet, you should always give a bit of attention to your hardworking business signage. Letting your business signage go without maintenance will result in a drab appearance, cracking, fading, and so on. And that will reflect badly on your business.

Here are some signs your business signage is falling into disrepair:

• You have not updated the software for any digital signage in many months or years. If the last installation was over a year ago, you are due for an update or two.
• There are broken sections in the sign. This could exposure some sections, such as electrical parts, to the weather, causing them to malfunction.
• Glitches during daily operations. Any sign that the sign is not functioning, such as flickering light bulbs or broken text or fading paint, is a problem that will only get worse.
• Outdated statements. Have you forgotten to update the message lately? Is the sign several years old and no longer matching your business? That is a sign you haven’t been keeping up with standard maintenance and upgrades.

Quick Maintenance Tips For Business Signage

Some maintenance can be done within mere minutes. You could finish reading this article then go and clean up your signs—that’s how quick these tips are. Not only that, but they are the ones that will keep your business signage functional for longer.

Here are three quick maintenance tips you can do today:

• Clean the exterior of your signs. Sometimes, your sign does not need any repairs, only a wipe down. If the exterior is covered in grime and mold and debris, then it could limit the amount of light that comes through or make your signage look old and dingy. By washing the sign, you give it a quick face-lift.
• Find some shade. An outdoor sign might be constructed with materials that are weather-resistant, but that doesn’t make your signage invincible. Instead, position it somewhere shaded or set up some décor or plant a tree to provide some natural cover from the elements.
• Replace the lettering. Whether you have digital signage or a traditional model, there may come a time when the lettering is less visible than it was when new. Fading, missing letters give off the wrong impression, so you will want to replace old lettering as soon as possible.
• Check the brackets. Some signs are attached to a building with brackets. If those brackets are rusting, damaged, or loosened, get them replaced. Tightening nails and looking for rust is easy, but if you find that dealing with the brackets could be a challenge, hire a sign company to help.

Do’s for Interior and Exterior Signage

Taking care of your signage is more or less the same, no matter where those signs are located. However, indoor sign and outdoor sign maintenance has some unique considerations, such as the cleaners used for various materials.

Do these sign maintenance steps routinely:

• About 4 times a year (once per season), you should clean the exterior of your signage. For indoor signs, dust and remove residues. Wipe down with a damp cloth.
• Use a non-abrasive cloth or scrubber for your signage, especially if you have channel letters set up.
• A mild soap that has been diluted with warm water is all you need to clean the surfaces of indoor and outdoor signage. For some outdoor signage (aluminum, fiberglass, and stainless steel types), you can use a car shampoo or something with a protective wax coating.
• Always read detergent ingredients to see if your cleaning solution is compatible.
• Clean one section of a sign at a time.
• Have a professional electrician or sign technician come and clean out the inside of cabinet signs, especially if there are electronic components.

Don’ts for Interior and Exterior Signage

Now, here are some things you should never do when maintaining business signage:

• Do not scrub interior signage that has raised surfaces, such as braille, letters, symbols, or numbers, as it could wear away the paint.
• Never use steel wool and abrasive scrub brushes.
• Leaving moisture on a sign could damage it, so never leave it damp. Do not allow cleaning
• liquids to dry on the sign’s surface.
• Avoid using industrial strength cleaners and anything with alcohol.
• Never use a razor blade on residue. That could chip off the paint.
• Never use a pressure washer or steam cleaning.

Getting The Help You Need

Signage is a cost-effective investment, but you need to maintain it if you want it to work for you, not against you. Now that you understand how to do a quick maintenance or look for any damages, you should be able to keep your signage looking fantastic. If not, give Tupp Signs a call. Our technicians will clean your signs whenever you need it! Call us to schedule an appointment today or to talk to one of our friendly representatives.

 

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) About Sign Maintenance:

 

1. Why is sign maintenance important for businesses?

• Sign maintenance is crucial for maintaining a positive image of your business. Neglected signs can crack, fade, and create a negative impression.

2. How can I tell if my business sign needs maintenance?

• Signs in need of maintenance may show signs like outdated software, broken sections, operational glitches, or outdated messaging.

3. What are some quick maintenance tips for business signage?

• Quick tips include cleaning the sign exterior, providing shade, replacing faded lettering, and checking the condition of brackets.

4. How often should I clean the exterior of my signage?

• It’s recommended to clean the exterior of your signage about four times a year, ideally once per season.

5. What cleaning materials should I use for sign maintenance?

• Use non-abrasive materials, mild soap diluted with warm water for most signs, and car shampoo or specialized cleaners for certain outdoor signage materials.

6. Can I use industrial strength cleaners on signs?

• No, avoid using industrial strength cleaners and anything with alcohol, as they can damage sign surfaces.

7. Is it safe to use a pressure washer or steam cleaning for signs?

• No, never use a pressure washer or steam cleaning on signs, as it can damage the paint and surface.

8. Should I hire a professional for sign maintenance?

• It’s advisable to hire a professional electrician or sign technician, especially for cleaning the inside of cabinet signs with electronic components.