Maintaining and Repairing Signage: The Basics

Your signage is a big investment, one that is designed to last for years. However, in order to get the most out of your signs, you need to make sure they are maintained properly. 

Dirt, weathering and – if your signage is within reach – people can all leave your signage looking a bit worse for wear. Over time, this can lessen its impact and mean that it doesn’t have the desired effect as when you first had it installed.

Maintaining and repairing your signage doesn’t just keep it looking good though, it ensures the safety of all your signs. From accidental damage to electrical issues, there are any number of problems that can mean your signage puts staff and customers at risk.

Remember, it is your legal duty, as the owner of the sign (or any other equipment), that it is fit for purpose and regularly maintained 

With all this in mind, here’s what you need to know about maintaining your business signage.

Get them checked regularly

It is generally acknowledged, throughout the industry that a minimum, once a year, pre-planned maintenance visit (ppm) is organised with your recognised signage contactor.

If your signs have electrical components, such as fluorescent, neon or LED lights, you should get them checked every year to ensure they are functioning correctly and are still safe. This maintenance could help you avoid larger issues that could be costly and time-consuming to fix. 

If you have multiple locations, it is easiest to arrange all the checks at the same time to keep on top of them. You could also tie them into other safety checks that take place at each premise.

As well as annual checks, you should make sure your signs are looked over if you notice anything wrong with them. Whether lights are flickering, not turning on or your sign seems to be moving, you should have them looked over to be on the safe side. And looked at by a recognised Sign Company

Similarly, checks can be worthwhile if you’ve had particularly bad weather, such as storms or gale-force winds, as this can also affect your signage. 

Keep them clean

External signage has to cope with traffic pollution and the elements, which can leave it looking grimy in a short period of time. Just as with your business windows, it’s worth getting your external signs cleaned fairly regularly to keep your premises looking good. 

When it comes to internal signage, much of it can be cleaned along with the rest of your premises to get rid of dirt, dust and fingerprints. If you have signage hanging from the ceiling or large and specialist signs, it may be worth scheduling cleaners for these once a month or so. 

One of the biggest benefits of regular cleaning is that you can keep an eye out for any damage that needs to be addressed. Dirt can hide a lot, so cleaning and a quick inspection will make sure you’re aware of issues before they get worse. 

Fix damage as soon as possible

Unfortunately, damage can happen to signs, especially if they are fairly old. External signs tend to be most prone to damage because they are exposed to the elements. A lot of the time, this will be simple damage, like damage through ageing, or failing illumination

However, these small signs of wear and tear can soon become bigger issues that can either require extensive repairs or a whole new sign. Giving your signage a yearly specialist maintenance check, as well as a once over every now and then, especially after bad weather, will help you keep on top of any damage when first occurring

If you do find that your sign has become damaged, make sure you get it fixed by the professionals. While you might think a bit of tape or filler will do the job, you could end up making the problem worse in the long run. Leaving it to the professionals can help you avoid a bigger headache. 

Get a good quality signage to sign to start with

Signage is a big investment and it’s one that you want to be sure will last as long as possible. The best way to ensure this is to get the best quality signage possible to start with. 

Cheap signage may save you money in the short term, but this can be a false economy. Talking to a high-quality signmaker about your needs will ensure you get great internal and external signs for your business, as well as expert aftercare and support. 

Not only will a good sign look the part and showcase your brand perfectly, but it will also continue to do so for years to come, especially with the right care and attention.

Talk to us today about your signage needs.