Over the last 7 days the country has been hit by a succession of storms.  Dudley, Eunice and Franklin have swept across the UK from coast to coast, with high winds, driving rain and snow in the North. And with Storm Gladys limbering up to hit in the next few days, we really do seem to be taking a bit of a pasting.

This extreme weather, as TV News channels have been showing all too clearly, can be incredibly destructive. Trees felled, power lines down, rivers turned into fast flowing waterways, it’s all a very real show of nature’s strength. Hopefully you are reading this safely in your home – but how are your retail outlets coping – and in particular your signage?

High winds combined with rain are bound to jump on the slightest fault in any external sign. Joints will open up and seals will fail, allowing in water to damage lighting and electrical fittings. And of course, signage fixings and flashings will be tested to their very limits and any weaknesses in the sub-facia will increase the risk of signs falling down.

For either case, a sign that develops an electrical fault or begins to fail is a major risk to your staff and the general public – and something you would immediately get sorted. After all, you would hardly want the bad publicity of an article in the local news showing your store with a damaged sign hanging half off. But even if your signage appears to be fully illuminated and still in place it would be dangerous to automatically assume all is well.

A sign that looks to be working fine and firmly fixed can turn out to be anything but. The 3 storms we have endured will have had ample opportunity to cause serious damage which you can’t yet see. Water may have leaked inside and is now attacking electrical components, steadily breaking down tapes or seals to short out connections. While the high winds will have repeatedly rocked and pushed at signage, forcing the fixings to move and loosen. And if the sub-facia is not sealed then a combination of rain and wind will have soak the face, softening wood and encouraging any less than healthy sections to move away from the building.

For these reasons it’s vital you get your signage inspected in the coming weeks to ensure the storms have not started a chain reaction that will end up in your signage becoming a danger to others. A simple inspection by Cygnia to make sure there is no water ingress, the signage fixings are all present and secure, and inspection of the sub-facia, will soon flag up any problems – and could save you a lot of time and money in the future having to deal with the fall-out of a failed sign. If you’re concerned about your signage and want to discuss any possible issues, contact us today and we’ll listen to the issues you have and give some advice. We’re here to help you keep your signage looking amazing – and safe too.