It is not news to most of the nation that the southeastern portion of the United States and Mexico have been battered by acts of God that have significantly effected the lives of millions in some capacity. From the historical waters in Houston to the intense wind gusts from Irma felt throughout the Caribbean through out the Southeast portion of the county, many people’s lives have been put on hold as they work to rebuild homes, restore power, and restart some sort of normalcy in their lives at home and at their businesses.
Our own staff was effected this past week to some smaller degree waiting on power to be restored to our office after winds from Tropical Storm Irma rocked Northeast Atlanta. We couldn’t conduct business as usual but that did not stop us from receiving emails from clients concerning damage to signs. Our team repaired or inspected signs for several clients this week that were damaged even though we couldn’t do any production. In some cases, it was quite obvious that the sign needed to be fixed or replaced, but in other cases clients just were not sure what to look for to determine the solidity of their signage. So, we are sharing a few tips that your business can use to make sure that your signage is structurally at it’s best now and in the future.
Does Your Sign Have Damage?
Outdoor Building Signs:
If you have outdoor signage such as channel letters, panel signs, or other wayfinding signage – make sure that the sign is still securely attached to the building or structure and that all the mounting hardware is still locked in place. Wind damage can weaken the hardware that supports your sign, particularly with consistent, high wind speeds.
Signs with Electrical Lighting:
Ensure all the lighting features of your sign are still working. If your electrical signage does not turn on the same way it did before large storms, it could be as simple as a bulb or as complex as the wiring or computer-based panel for the digital messaging signs.
Monument Signs:
Business owners should visibly check the acrylic on both the marquee sign and tenant panels to make sure you don’t see any cracks in the panels that need to be repaired. You should also check the actual monument structure to make sure no cracks, signs of water damage, or specific damage to the facing exists. Leaving repairs to the monument itself unaddressed for too long can cause damage that can’t be repaired and must be replaced.
Signs on the Ground:
In addition to checking your monument signs for tenant panels, it is a good idea to visually inspect all signs that are on the ground to make sure the signs are securely seated and level. Even monument signs can have erosion or damage at the base or to the structure. Check HDU or sandblasted facing for any damage from blowing debris. Examine post and panel signage for any missing faces or leaning posts.
Vehicle Graphics:
Check your graphics to make sure flying debris from tree limbs to leaves have not damaged the graphics. Remove any stuck debris, such as leaves, to ensure the quality of your graphics. Check out our tips on vehicle graphics for more info.
What To Do If You Find Damage?
Depending on the extent of damage to your business or property, you may already be filing an insurance claim. If you are, then mention the sign problems to your adjuster or appraiser. Your sign repair may be covered by your policy.
If you aren’t filling a claim but want to know the cost to repair your signage – then your next conversation should be with your sign provider. Even if you aren’t sure and think you might just need a professional to give it a look, then call your sign company. Credible sign companies will have no problem consulting with you and can tell you quickly what it will take to fix any problems.
The good news is that many signs that are simply leaning or loose can be repaired. Signs that were correctly installed originally tend to sustain less damage from wind and can often be straightened, facing re-installed or the hardware can be re-secured. In the case of signage that sustains significant damage or maybe missing parts, a sign company can determine if anything is salvageable.
Contact Us
If you have suffered damage from any of the recent storms or have signs that are showing signs of damage we are always here to assist your company. As a full-service installation and sign production company, we can help get your message back to its original form as quickly as possible. We are here to answer any questions, so just give us a call!
