When Do You Need Neon Sign Repair?
If you use neon signs to let customers know when your business is open or when you have sales, it’s easy to catch the eyes of passers-by. When your sign stops working, though, you need neon sign repair immediately. Here are some of the top reasons why you need repair services from a Houston sign company.
Neon Sign Repair for Flickering Lights
If your neon is flickering on and off, it’s time to contact neon sign repair services. A faulty transformer could be behind this problem, especially because neon lights require high-voltage power. Your wiring system could also be short-circuited from a storm, water damage, or excessive use. Let an experienced technician handle the assessment and repairs; with such high levels of electricity, it’s easy to get shocked if you’re not a trained electrician.
If your sign is new, you may not need to get help from sign companies in Houston Texas. Many neon signs rely on a reaction between mercury and argon to glow, but new signs’ mercury is sometimes still a solid or liquid instead of a gas. Leave your neon sign on for a few days and see if enough mercury vaporizes for the argon to react with it and stop flickering. Generally, red neon lights don’t have mercury, so if your new red lights are flashing, an electrical issue is probably the culprit.
Neon Sign Repair for Dim Lights
Reach out to sign companies in Houston Texas, if your lights aren’t as bright as they should be. Usually, this happens because your glass tubes are cracked, even if the break is too small to see. The opening in the glass allows your light’s gases to escape and regular air to enter. With a lower concentration of neon gas (if your lights are red) or argon gas (if they are different colors), there are not enough ions to react with each other and create the bright light that you’re used to.
Neon and argon gases are not poisonous, so you don’t need to panic if your sign starts dimming. Repairs are tricky, though, and you usually need to replace the leaky tube. Your neon sign repair service can identify the broken tube and leave the functional ones alone.
Neon Sign Repair for Dead Lights
If your neon sign doesn’t turn on, there are many possible culprits. Your tubes’ insulation could be broken, preventing electricity from reaching its destination. The wires within the sign could be short-circuited or frayed. Unplug your sign to avoid fires and ask sign companies in Houston Texas, to examine your wiring and see if it’s easily replaceable.
If your neon sign doesn’t turn on after slowly getting dimmer, all the gas may have escaped from your tubes. Now that they’re full of air, there are no chemicals to make them glow. In this case, your neon sign repair involves replacing all the tubes with ones that have plenty of neon gas.
Finally, you could also have problems with your building’s electric system instead of the sign. Perhaps the outlet you’re using is defective, or maybe your building isn’t properly grounded. If your neon sign is the only equipment that isn’t working, try plugging it into a different outlet and requesting electrical repairs. If it still doesn’t work, reach out to sign companies in Houston Texas.
Neon Sign Repair for Shattered Lights
If you come into your store and realize that your neon sign has shattered, do not plug it in to see if any of the tubes still work. Instead, sweep up all the glass carefully and contact a neon sign repair company. If the shattered glass damaged your sign’s wiring, you might need an entirely new sign. If only the tubes are broken, though, your repair company can replace them.
Keeping Your Neon Signs Safe
Keeping your signs out of the repair shop is the best way to keep your business well-decorated and prevent injuries. When you’re cleaning your neon signs, use a gentle soap and be as careful as possible, so you don’t shatter the bulbs. Hang your signs securely on nails or command hooks that are strong enough to sustain their weight. Regularly inspect your sign hangings for stress or cracks, and avoid hanging signs where someone might bump into them or slam a door through them.
When your neon lights are flickering, dim, dead, or shattered, count on our team at Bakers’ Signs to get them back in order. Call our office at 800-341-9158 or fill out our online form to request a quote.
