Despite the popularity of neon in our experience many people are unsure how to correctly care and maintain a neon sign.
Whether a neon purchase is to advertise a new product or offer in your shop, to highlight sections of an office space, or as an art piece – you want to make sure your neon signage not only lasts but flourishes.
We’ve put together a short six-point guide about how to correctly maintain neon signs to get the maximum benefit from them
1. Choose the correct sign
The first step to making sure your sign will last as long as possible is ensuring you choose the right type of sign.
Ask yourself the following questions: Is the sign going to be reachable by people? Is the sign going to be in an area where things are often transported or carried? If the answer to either of these is YES, then you would likely benefit from a clear acrylic cover over your sign.
While neon is perfectly safe to touch when installed correctly, it is still a glass product and so if your sign is in an area where it could get knocked or broken, a clear cover, or case could be the thing to extend the life of your sign.
2. Handle carefully
If your sign is getting delivered, unwrap it carefully and handle it with care. Check the tubes to make sure there are no cracks or damages and make sure everything is intact.
If all looks well, you can set about installing it in a safe place. If your signage is damaged, don’t try to fix it yourself; ask the manufacturer to take a look at it for you.
3. Avoid harsh environments:
Neon signs can be sensitive to temperature and humidity changes. Avoid placing them in areas with extreme heat, moisture, or cold.
4. Use your neon sign for reasonable hours:
Keeping your neon sign on for too long may decrease its lifespan, so turn it off when it’s not needed.
5. Regulator neon tubes inspection
You need to regularly check the neon tubes for any cracks or breaks. If you notice any, they can leak gas, causing the neon to malfunction.
Also, if parts of your sign are dimmer than others, it could mean there’s an issue with the gas inside the tubes.
This usually requires professional repair or refilling of the neon gas.
6. Careful cleaning of neon sign
Signs in busy areas generally require more cleaning, so it’s important that you know how to go about doing this.
Although there is no harm in leaving your light switched on all the time, we’d suggest unplugging it to clean it. Use a duster to remove all dust build up and grime from the glass tubes. If you are struggling to get to small crevices, try using a small brush to get in all the gaps. These are the areas that can look the dirtiest as dust builds up in a more compressed area.
If your sign is especially dirty, you might want to give it a more thorough cleaning. Providing your sign is unplugged, you can use warm, soapy water to clean the tubes. Make sure the ingredients don’t contain any ammonia though as this can be damaging to the tubes. Gently wipe them down using a clean cloth and dry them quickly with a lint-free towel. This will leave your signage looking spic and span.
Check out more of our articles here. And please drop us a line if you’d like to chat about any of the details we’ve covered or to find out more about neon sign maintenance.
