Purchasing an LED message board can be a major investment, so it’s only natural that you want to know how long that investment will last. After all, no one wants to spend thousands of dollars on a new piece of equipment only to have it break down after only a few years.
The good news is that LED message boards are very low-maintenance and will last you for years. While electronic scrolling message boards are designed to last a long time, there are ways that you can extend their lifespans. Read on to find out how you can get the most bang for your investment buck.
Getting the Most Out of Your Sign
Many factors will affect the lifespan of your electronic scrolling message board. The effects of temperature, weather conditions, maintenance, hours of use, and even the content of your signs can have a big impact on how long your LED sign will last.
Fortunately, proper fabrication and installation will cover most of these issues. National Signs’ expert team will ensure that your sign stays in top condition for as long as possible. However, you can extend the life of your sign by as much as a few years by following a few simple guidelines.
Temperature
The temperature is the top factor in the lifespan of your electronic scrolling message board – this is especially true of LED message boards that are installed outdoors. Without question, heat is the number one enemy of your new sign. Unfortunately, there’s plenty of heat to go around during a Texas summer!
The good news here is that the vast majority of heat-related problems are mitigated by your design and installation team. By ensuring proper venting during the installation process and by using temperature-sensing internal fans, a harsh summer shouldn’t have you worrying about the wear and tear on your sign.
Weather
Although it’s always a top question/concern for new sign owners, you really don’t need to worry about the effects of precipitation or wind on your sign. Major hurricanes aside, these signs are made to endure the weather where they’re installed. Rain and snow won’t hurt the electronic components of your electronic scrolling message board.
In fact, rain and snow can actually help you maintain your sign! Standard precipitation does a fairly good job of cleaning your sign of things like dirt and grass clippings, and this makes already simple upkeep even easier.
Maintenance
Speaking of upkeep, proper maintenance will help extend the overall life of your sign. It’s rare that you’ll see problems with your LED display, but if you do spot some dead pixels or a section of your sign goes black, don’t wait to get it taken care of. Your maintenance tech will be able to help you with your issue, and they’ll also potentially be able to spot other issues while they’re at it.
Don’t forget: National Signs offers a 5-year warranty on all parts, labor, and signs. There’s really no reason to leave your sign in a less than perfect state. Let us know how we can help, and we’ll be there to keep your sign running strong.
Hours of Operation
Thanks to their incredible energy efficiency, it’s not very expensive to leave your LED message board running all the time. However, if you’re concerned about extending the life of your sign, you could opt to only have it running during your standard business hours.
While this will save you a tiny amount of money and keep your signing running a bit longer, it might not be worth the tradeoff of losing the additional advertising hours. If you’ve got potential customers passing by, you should keep your sign lit.
Content
This last factor might be the most surprising of all. It turns out that the images you display on your electronic scrolling message board can impact on how long your board lasts. LED screens use RGB (red, green, blue) colors to mix different colors and create anything you want. So how do those three colors create white and black?
Black is easy since it’s the color of the screen itself. However, to display white, the LEDs need to be operating at full blast. While the difference in wear on the diodes is minimal, it can add up over time. If you want your screen to last a bit longer, consider using less white in your images.
So How Long Do Electronic Scrolling Message Boards Last?
Here’s the answer you’ve been looking for. If you were to run your electronic scrolling message board all day every day of the year, you could expect it to last about 100,000 hours. That’s between ten and eleven years!
If you need to stretch out your LED sign’s lifespan, you’ll need to make sure you’re giving it proper maintenance, good content selection, and a little time off now and again. By following these tips, your sign might still be functioning well for you after fifteen years or more.
The Advantages of LED Message Boards
The incredible longevity of electronic scrolling message boards is only one of the perks of owning one. You’ll also be able to look forward to a small energy bill thanks to the fact that LEDs are very energy efficient. Since they’re designed to produce light but not heat, there’s very little wasted energy.
You also have the flexibility to change your message any time you want and from almost anywhere in the world. With an internet connection and a few clicks, you can switch your display from Thanksgiving ads to Christmas, promote your latest sale, or even display product videos.
Add in the benefits of sharp, professional displays and attention-grabbing design, and there’s really no reason not to make the switch to an LED message board.
Contact National Signs Today!
If you’ve got questions about getting a new electronic scrolling message board or if you’re ready to dive right in and place an order, the team at National Signs is here to help. Contact us today for a free quote. We can’t wait to get to work on your LED display!
