So you’ve gotten a perfect outdoor sign that’ll catch the eye of each passersby, turning them from potential into actual customer the second they walk through the door and are wowed by the goods you’re offering. Awesome, you’ve understood that your sign sends a message and even used the best color combinations, and now you stand above the rest of your competition in  San Fernando Valley or even crowded Los Angeles! So there’s nothing to worry about anymore, right? Well… actually, now that you’ve gotten your perfect sign, you have to keep it looking that way with proper maintenance!

If you’re getting a sign, especially an exterior sign, then you’ve gotta think about how you’re gonna maintain it and plan accordingly. This isn’t as big an issue for indoor signs, the dimensional letters in your lobby just need regular polishing and dusting but otherwise they’re not exposed to the elements.

Outdoor signs, on the other hand, have to deal with wear and tear. The sheer heat of the sun especially during summers, being bombarded by rain and snow, the paint eventually eroding from all of this and exposing the bare materials underneath, leading to metal parts rusting and other components deteriorating. This isn’t even getting into unexpected causes of damage like accidents, vandalism, birds building a nest on your sign or even a freak lightning strike!

Beat Wear and Tear

Here, we’ll cover ways to keep your sign looking great while warding off wear and tear. We won’t cover what to do in case of extraordinary circumstances, since there probably isn’t much to do aside from getting a new sign.

So here are a few simple ways to maintain your outdoor sign:

• Get an outdoor sign made out of good materials in the first place! This will prevent premature deterioration and make maintenance easier. Yes, a high quality sign might seem costlier, but it’ll last longer and save money in the long run compared to a cheaper sign that’ll break down earlier than it should.
• Drainage! Be sure water doesn’t pool around your sign. If you can, have your sign positioned in a way that water won’t even get to it in the first place, or arrange the drainage pipes or trenches to get rainwater away from your sign.
• Schedule your inspections and upkeep. You won’t get any maintaining done if you forget about it, so have a schedule for it, keep it regular, so you’ll keep it in mind.  If you’d like to schedule monthly or quarterly cleaning and maintenance programs, contact us today!
• With that said, wipe it down regularly. A simple cleaning cloth or chamois with some soapy water will do just fine in removing dirt, dust and… whatever birds leave behind. If this is done regularly, then nothing will build up or accumulate on your sign and you won’t have to resort to more drastic measures.
• If there’s any cracking or peeling, attend to it immediately before it blisters, spreads out and affects more of the coating, exposes even more of the underlying material to wear and tear (that’ll double your woes).
• Replace the protective coating every year.
• Remember to replace the bulbs of your lightbox sign before it starts flickering.  Call us today at (818) 5786-6234 to get this taken care of!
• Increase the bulbs’ lifespan (and save up on your electricity bills) by turning illuminated signs on and off at the proper times. Avoid turning them on too early or unnecessarily and remember to turn them off when they’re no longer needed, like when you’re closing for the night.
• Check the brackets or fixtures propping up your sign. Your sign might be perfectly polished, but if it falls off or comically slants sideways because the brackets have rusted down, it’ll all be for nothing.
• If it’s past its lifespan, then replace it. If it’s a hopeless case, you might end up spending more to maintain it than you would if you buy a new sign. If it’s literally falling to pieces, it might be a hazard to passersby and you might get even more headaches if a piece of your pylon sign lands on someone’s head…
• Ask us about our sign maintenance program! Who is more suited to fixing a sign than the ones who make ’em for a living?

These are just some ways to maintain your sign. Remember, it’s best to fix a problem before it begins. Make sure you clean it regularly and look out for any… signs of deterioration.