It certainly doesn’t feel like it yet, but winter will be here before we know it! Soon, the leaves will begin to change, and suddenly we’ll have a snow-covered ground. While winter is great for those who love skiing, sledding, ice skating, and other cold weather activities, it’s awful for outdoor signs.
Cold temperatures and harsh winter storms wreak havoc on all sorts of signs, including traffic signs in Vermont. If you own a business with a special sign out front, now is the time to prepare it for winter. Continue reading to learn more about what you (or the professional you hire) can do to ensure your sign makes it through the next few months.
Check your neon
As you may know, “neon” signs aren’t strictly full of neon. They’re a mixture of different types of gasses that include neon, argon, and mercury. Neon gas can withstand practically any temperature, but argon’s atoms become slow when the temperature drops below 45 degrees. This means that tubes filled with lavender-blue argon gas will typically appear dimmer during the winter.
A dim tube isn’t something you really need to worry about in the middle of the winter, but you should call a repairman if the tube doesn’t brighten back up in the spring. A tube that doesn’t return to full brightness probably has a leak, or the gas has been exhausted and needs to be re-pumped by a professional.
Adjust your light timers
Are your lights on automatic timers that are supposed to turn on when the sun sets? If so, now is the time to go ahead and adjust those timers. It’ll only get darker earlier and earlier, and you’d hate to not have your lights come on right when it gets dark outside. Needless to say, a business with no lights on at night won’t get much foot traffic, and it could even lead to some shady characters hanging around the outside of your property.
Call a repairman
Are there any lights that are burnt out or bulbs that are broken? If so, you should probably call someone to fix or replace them. Broken lights can make your business look shoddy and can easily deter customers. Luckily, a repairman should be able to fix them in no time at all.
Switch to LED
If you’d prefer to never call a repairman again, you might want to consider switching to LED lights. LEDs last for years and years without fading or going out. On top of that, they look great, and they’re energy efficient as well. Turning on an LED sign costs a fraction of what it costs to run a standard bulb.
Plan to paint now
It’s no surprise that painted signs start to fade over time. Rain, snow and the sun take quite a toll on the paint. For that reason, repainting is necessary every once in a while. Keep in mind that you can’t paint when it gets cold out. The paint won’t stick very well and will just end up flaking off again. Be sure to get out there now, while it’s still warm if you need to touch up your sign at all.
Whether you have a commercial sign or work zone signs in Vermont, Worksafe Traffic Control Industries is here to help you get your signs ready for winter. Give us a call today to learn more about our services, or to get started on making a brand-new sign!