Although we’ve had a relatively mild November so far, winter is very nearly upon us. Office chatter has been filled with worried flashbacks to last winter and the terrible conditions we all had to deal with. With this in mind, it was decided that people might benefit from a number of posts relating to signage and the winter months.
To kick things off, we are going to cover ways in which you can prepare your exterior signs for the winter season. With winter comes the risk of high winds, weeks of snow, low temperatures and heavy rain. There are a number of signage solutions that could be affected by such conditions and it is important to prepare accordingly.
Street Signs
Issues regarding street signs can usually be solved with a bit of common sense. As the days are getting darker you should make sure you place them somewhere so they are easily visible to prevent accidents and damage. If you are using ‘A’ board style signs make sure that they are set up correctly to ensure maximum stability in windy conditions. If possible, securing your signs to something may help them to stand up to harsh conditions and avoid incidents. In the case of swing signs, they will usually come with a base that can be filled with either water or sand and if being used, should be properly filled to keep them secure. Obviously, if conditions are at their worst, to protect your investment the best option is to keep your signage indoors until the weather improves.
Banners
Banners can be quite high risk in adverse weather conditions. They can become dangerous in high wind conditions if they have not been properly secured and come loose. It is advised in such conditions, larger banners should be taken down to reduce risk. When securing your banners, another tip is to use you good quality bungee cords instead of cable ties to reduce the chance of it breaking free.
Post and Panel Signs
Larger signs such as post and panel signs can take a real beating in windy conditions. To avoid structural damage to this type of sign, it is important to make sure they have been cross braced to strengthen the frame. In some instances it may also be appropriate for an additional post on the frame for improved stability of larger signs.
Illuminated Signs
Illuminated signs are great during the winter months as the lighting really helps your signage stand out. Winter in the UK generally means lots of persistent rain and it is therefore important to make sure your illuminated sign is properly sealed to avoid water damage. You should also make sure that your lighting is set to reflect the short winter days, having the illumination on earlier in order for your sign to have the greatest impact. Sensors are also available to automate the lighting to help you adjust the illumination for when it’s required. With this in mind it is also important to check that all your lighting is working properly – nothing says unprofessional more than a half lit sign.
Cleaning and Maintenance
In winter, signs can get dirty quickly so it is important to regularly maintain your signage to send positive signals and provide the right impression of your company. In the case of illuminated signage, dirt and grime can decrease the lighting effect by as much as 30%! A great way of cleaning and protecting your signs, especially for stainless steel, is to use some WD40 or even some Johnsons baby oil to have them looking their best.
You can plan for all possible situations and sometimes something happens that is out of your control. In situations where your signage is damaged due to weather conditions or other factors such as vandalism, EVM provide a call-out service to help you return your signage to its original condition.
If you are looking for signage or just want some advice, we can help. Also if you have any of your own suggestions, feel free to add them in the comments below.
