Signage in front of your business is a great way to bring awareness to your company. If you own a restaurant, bar, motel, or another nighttime establishment, then you want your sign to be as visible as possible at night. Neon signs can provide this visibility with their persistent and bright glow. However, neon signs can break suddenly and leave you without any way to attract customer to your business. A sign repair professional will typically need to make repairs for you. If you want to know more about these repairs, then keep reading to find out about some common neon sign issues and how they are fixed.

Sign Does Not Light Up At All

If you flip the switch to turn on your neon sign and you see no light at all, then it is likely that the transformer needs to be replaced if your sign worked perfectly the night before. The transformer for the sign is a small box located on the back that has two sets of electrical wires connected to it. The wires running to the transformer are the electrical wires that you plug into your socket. The wires attached to the sign are the ones that power the signs after electrical current is converted inside the transformer. Specifically, the transformer converts the electrical power to a higher wattage.

If the transformer breaks, the neon sign will not receive the high voltage electricity that it needs and it will not turn on. A simple exchange of the broken transformer for a new one is required. Your sign repair specialist will remove the screws from the ends of the transformer to remove the wires from the device. The wires and screws will then be added to the new transformer and it will be tested to make sure that your neon sign turns on after the repair.

Parts of the Neon Sign Are Dim

If you notice that your neon sign appears dim around the ends of the lettering or if you see that the sign is dim on one end, then it is likely that the sign needs to be regassed. The different gasses in your neon lights along with different electrodes and glass colors help to illuminate the sign with different shades of color. Typically, neon gas is used and so is argon and a small amount or mercury. These gasses are placed in the glass tubes that make up your neon sign. An electrode is placed on either end of the sign, and the electrodes and the glass tubing are heated to a high temperature so the ends can be sealed off.

The heating process can cause some weaknesses around the ends of the tubes, and some of the gas may escape through small openings over time. As the gas starts to release, the light begins to appear dim. When this happens, one or both of the electrodes must be removed from the ends of the sign and new gas will be placed in the tubing. Typically, your sign specialist will use the previous color of the light to make sure that neon, argon, and mercury are mixed in the right amount so your sign looks the same as it did before it was repaired.

Keep in mind that the glass tubes must be reheated and resealed when the gassing process takes place. If your sign is old or if it has been damaged in any way, then it is possible that the glass may crack or break as it cools down. A brand new sign will then need to be made as a replacement. If you or your repair specialist feels like this is a possibility, then think about asking for a new sign instead. If you decide to do this, then consider a design that utilizes both neon and LED lights to increase energy efficiency. 

If you have a neon sign on your business, then make sure to speak with a sign professional as soon as the sign breaks. Most neon signs can be fixed, regassed, or rebuilt within a timely manner to make sure that your business is as visible as possible. 

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