Well, the weather outside is frightful … and your outdoor business signs are bearing the brunt of it! If you’ve invested time and money into having a sign designed and installed, you want it to be functional and visible year-round. Unfortunately, high winds, low temperatures, and winter precipitation can really take a harsh toll. However, by completing outdoor sign maintenance before Old Man Winter begins to do his worst, you can help prevent costly damage.

Invest in Weatherproof Signage

Proper outdoor sign maintenance starts from the very beginning … with choosing signage materials that will last. Weatherproof signage stands up to sun damage, rain, sleet, snow, as well as wear and tear from daily use. You can determine the quality and weather-readiness of electronic signs by making sure they are UL-listed — something that’s unfortunately difficult to do when purchasing signage online. All UL-listed signs are built to adhere to predetermined specifications and safety standards.

Schedule Regular Outdoor Signage Maintenance

With your weatherproof signage installed, you’re ready to begin scheduling regular outdoor sign maintenance to keep it in good working order. Proper sign maintenance is a multi-step process that involves securing the area around the sign (particularly if it’s high up), accessing it, disassembling it, repairing/cleaning/inspecting it, and putting it all back together again.

This is why many business owners rely on professional signage companies to handle their maintenance. Having the right equipment and the proper know-how can prevent ongoing issues from causing costly damage or becoming a fire hazard. It also frees owners up to do what they do best — running their business — rather than sitting atop a ladder for a portion of the day.

Do Wear and Tear Checks

In between regular outdoor signage maintenance, it’s essential for business owners to take the time to do regular checks to make sure their signage is functional and free of serious wear and tear. If you can catch problems early, you can address them before they become an eyesore or begin to affect your customers’ ability to make out your signage.

Common wear and tear to watch for include dirty signage, damage and dullness caused by weather, and burned out or broken lights. Bad weather and gloomy conditions will only compound these problems, so if you notice them, it’s best to have them addressed immediately even if your next maintenance appointment is some time away.

Maximize Your Winter Visibility

Spending a bit more money to make sure your signs are properly illuminated is always a good idea. In fact, the International Sign Association lists sign illumination among one of their top priorities for proper visibility. Simply having a sign that lights up isn’t enough, however; wintertime creates a special set of conditions that can make spotting your sign nearly impossible.

Among the top tips to improve wintertime sign visibility are making sure your sign is bright enough to be spotted even in inclement weather. That way, it will be a beacon that will beckon customers in even in the midst of rain or snowstorm. When winter hours and the end of Daylight Savings wreaks havoc on the time the sun goes down, business owners need to adapt by ensuring that their lighting timers are set to come on in time for the earlier sunsets.

Wintertime is hard on everyone and everything that must spend time exposed to the elements — and your outdoor signs are no exception. By taking care of outdoor signage maintenance before the mercury starts to plummet, you can help mitigate the worst of the wintertime wear and tear … and keep your business signage shining brightly until next spring.

At Brady Signs, we’re a third-generation family business that’s served as a premier provider of business signage solutions throughout the North Central Ohio region and beyond for nearly 50 years.

Want to learn how we can convert your brand into a statement using our eye-catching signage for business? We’re here to talk.