The temperatures have dropped and the weather has taken a turn for the worse! Cold winds, ice, frost and storms have arrived and it is time to ensure winter maintenance for your outdoor company signage is in place. It is not too early to check your signs are up to the task of enduring the winter weather. Having clean and working signage speaks volumes to your customers. Your outdoor company signage showcases your brand and influences people through how inviting and professional it looks. Follow our recommendations on five things you can check as part of your winter maintenance plan.
5 Tips on how to maintain company signage during the winter months
1. Keep Exterior Company Signage Clean
Having a routine cleaning schedule for your outdoor signage is important all year round, not just in winter. All year round your signs are pelted with pollen, dust, dirty rain and snow, insects, bird droppings and pollution particles. You might not notice it build up, but regular cleaning will highlight how much of a difference it makes. Don’t reduce your cleaning schedule in the winter, in fact you may want to increase it. This will account for the harsher weather over the colder months.
2. Take Care Of The Seals
As part of your winter upkeep, check the seals on your signs. You can look for moisture or dirt inside that will let you know if a seal has been compromised. This is important to keep a regular eye on because moisture in a sign can affect the electrics as well as cause mould to grow. At the very least it can make the sign dirty inside which is not easy to clean. It is, however, noticeable to passers-by and potential customers. Check the seals regularly and conduct preventative fixing methods before the seals are eroded.
3. Check For Extra Weight
Signage mounts are designed to take the weight of the sign and should be affixed safely and securely to a surface. In winter, however, snow and ice resting on the sign can affect the weight. If the additional weight causes the mounts to break or part of the signage to fall it can seriously injure someone or cause a significant amount of damage. Checking the condition of the mounts and fixtures regularly is absolutely vital, therefore. If it is possible, sweep any build-up off signs as soon as possible. This has the added bonus of keeping your signage as visible as possible.
4. Make Sure The Lights Work
Having a regular cleaning schedule for your outdoor signage means you are more likely to notice when a light has gone out and get it fixed quickly. Poorly illuminated signage impacts how customers perceive a business and make it harder to find, which hinders success. If you can access and fix the lights yourself, keep spares onsite so the issues can be fixed as soon as they are noticed. When winter brings longer, darker nights, the importance of properly illuminated signs grows.
5. Look Out For Wear And Tear
Part of your regular signage maintenance should include checking the overall condition of the signs. This will highlight problems, like paint peeling, whilst they are still minor and can be fixed before they get any worse.
Regular checks, maintenance and preparation of exterior signage will prevent issues being exacerbated by the winter weather. As well as keeping costs lower for a business, signage that is taken care of looks far better to prospective customers too.
Your signage is usually the first thing people see when coming to visit your business, so make sure that your image, your brand and your business looks great this year by keeping your signage clean and well-maintained.
