Today we’re talking about sign maintenance and what you need to know. Running a business requires a lot of investments. Since you don’t want to lose out on such an investment, you need to do a few things that ensures a good return. This includes your signage. Protect your investment and your image by performing some routine maintenance on both indoor and outdoor signage. Not only will this keep your signs around for a long time, but it will prevent any premature aging and expensive repairs or replacements.
Here is everything you need to know about sign maintenance.
Exterior Sign Maintenance
Any signs that are left exposed to the elements need to be regularly cleaned and serviced. This will prevent rusting and discoloration and fading. Here are some ways to extend the life of your exterior signage:
- Consider the materials used to construct your sign. For example, if the face of your cabinet sign is polycarbonate, you may want to use a special formula to preserve the integrity of the material. The best cleaning agents include Joy and Palmolive dish soaps, Windex, and isopropyl alcohol.
- Rinse the signage with lukewarm water and a mild soap.
- Use a soft sponge or cloth. Wash with up and down strokes, not side to side or circles.
- Dry with a microfiber cloth to prevent any water spotting.
- Wax your sign (the trim, cowling, legs, and cabinet) with automotive wax shortly after installation. Afterwards, reapplying wax once in a while to slow down the aging the process.
- Remove any bird nests and other debris that you find.
Trying to remove graffiti, spray paint, or permanent marker? Try Butyl Cellosolve. Then you can use a lint roller to remove any remaining paint chips.
You can remove stickers and labels with a little kerosene or VM&P naphtha. Apply a little heat to adhesives to remove the stickiness.
Interior Sign Maintenance
Although interior signage is not as exposed as exterior signs, you still need to check the condition of your signs once in a while. Here are some tips to keep your interior signs looking fresh and new:
- Choosing the appropriate location for interior signs is crucial to their longevity. Keep interior signs out of direct sunlight to avoid discoloration, fading and warping. You can also use blinds to filter out light.
- Regularly clean and inspect signs. Check for spills, splatter, vandalism, fingerprints, and so on.
- If you are using acrylic or metal signage, wash these down with a mild dish soap (like those mentioned above) and some warm water. Do not use commercial cleaners. The formula of such cleansers may damage your sign or weaken the seals.
Temporary Signage Maintenance
Many businesses use a mixture of permanent and temporary signage to promote certain events, products, or services. For example, if you are running a food truck, you might have temporary signs and banners that attract foot traffic to you, especially if your position is constantly changing.
Even though temporary signs are less complex in construction than things like LED signs and cabinet signs, you can still take some steps to ensure that your banners, flags, and other signs stay in fantastic condition:
- Storage. When rolling up banners or setting down flat signs, make sure the edges are not getting jammed or bent. Wet signs should be toweled off or air dried before going to storage to prevent mold and staining.
- Inserts. Choose materials like corrugated plastic, since that will extend the life of inserts. Also, consider printing and mounting vinyl over laminates.
- Base. The base of a sign is important. If you have frames that are cracked or a rickety bottom, it can be annoying and may even lead to less exposure or a poor impression. Position signs out of the way to avoid damage to the base, and if it is broken, consider a replacement.
Maintenance Mistakes To Avoid
Can you make mistakes while trying to keep everything in working order? In order to avoid making an expensive mistake, consider the following:
- When checking for leaks in cabinet signs or channel letters, first find where the drain holes are located. You should never fill these in, because that will cause more moisture to build up within the interior of the sign, and that can weaken the electrical components.
- Avoid using a power washer with a psi higher than 200 psi.
- Never use water hotter than 180 degrees F to wash your signs.
- Avoid harsh chemicals, newspaper, paper towels, abrasive cloths and sponges, and scrapers, since that can damage the sign.
- Never scour a painted surface.
- Avoid over-cleaning or rubbing excessively.
- Do not let cleaners splash or drip. Remove any rivulets as soon as you can.
- Never turn off an electrical sign for longer than required. These signs are designed to run nonstop, unless undergoing maintenance. Without a working fan, there will be moisture build-up, which can fry the electronics inside.
Don’t Wait—Maintenance Starts Now
A little bit of maintenance will keep your business signage look brand new for many years. Always check for damages after storms, clean up dirt and grime with some warm water and mild soap, and do touch ups here and there. Now that you know how to do some preventative maintenance, don’t wait! Get started today.
You do not have to do it alone! Contact Tupp Signs today by giving us a call or filling out the contact form to learn more about what we do or to request a free quote.