Illuminated Houston custom signs help attract people to your business, but should you choose LED or neon? There are pros and cons to each, but generally LEDs offer higher return on investment. For large signs that are critical for advertising, LED is generally the way to go compared to neon.
Houston Custom Signs for Your Business: LED vs. Neon
Why might you choose LED over neon for your signage? There are a few key reasons that may influence your choice. However, overall, LED signs will cost less up front and overtime, while offering better results for advertising your business.
Cost for Illuminated Houston Custom Signs
When looking only at up front costs, in most cases LED signs are going to be less expensive than neon. Much of this comes down to the specific design of your Houston custom signs.
However, neon tends to be more expensive because it involves hand blown glass tubes and filling the glass with special gases. Also, fewer and fewer people today know how to do this. Because they’re so labor-intensive and require expensive raw materials, neon signs generally cost more.
In addition, when you take into account total costs (initial costs, operating costs, and maintenance costs), LED signs cost on average 10% less than neon.
Maintenance: Neon vs. LED Signs
LED signs are virtually maintenance free, as they are long-lasting and durable. Neon, on the other hand, will require more maintenance, which means time and money for your business. Neon signs need frequent cleaning, as the glass can collect dirt and grime that affects how bright they can shine.
Another important thing to consider is that neon lights get dimmer over time as the gas slowly starts to leak out. This means that you’ll need a neon specialist to come out periodically to refill the neon gas inside the tube. Glass tubes are also fragile, which means you may need to replace broken neon signs frequently.
Instead, LED signs are waterproof and the lights can last for years without replacement. Therefore, for convenience alone many business owners are opting for LED Houston custom signs instead of neon.
Energy Efficient Houston Custom Signs
Whether you need illuminated outdoor signs or Houston wall signs, optimizing energy efficiency can help save your business money on operating costs. LEDs are significantly more energy efficient than other types of lights, including neon. In fact, LED signs tend to use six to ten times less power than neon signs. This turns into cost savings for your company on utility costs and can help your business become more eco-friendly, which is a great marketing point to today’s consumers.
The Brightest Houston Custom Signs for your Business
LED signs are also super bright, making them easy to read from a distance, even in broad daylight. Neon signs tend to be difficult to see during the day and have a slightly hazy or blurred look at night from a distance. Therefore, they may be less effective at advertising your business.
Neon may also be dimmer on cold days, as temperature can affect the reactions of the gases that cause the sign to light up. LEDs, on the other hand, work in any type of weather, so you never need to worry about not being seen on cooler days.
LED Signs Can Mimic the Look of Neon
What if you love the look of neon, though? Don’t worry, there are lots of solutions!
Obviously, you can still use neon if you’re really up to the hassle and expense. However, today’s LED Houston custom signs can look extraordinarily like neon. New technology, called LED neon lighting, mimics the look of neon signage. These lights come in flexible strips filled with LEDs. They come in a wide range of colors to match your brand’s needs. There’s no delicate glass tubing you’ll need to worry about getting broken or gas that needs to be replaced periodically. Also, LED neon Houston custom signs shine brighter than their old-school neon counterparts.
The main difference between these LEDs and traditional neon lights is that LEDs don’t have that slight flickering effect. However, most people don’t even notice this difference and can easily mistake LED signs for neon.
If you’re still yearning for that vintage feel and absolutely want neon in your store, then consider using LED neon signs for larger, more complex signage and opting for a small indoor sign from traditional neon. This can help reduce costs for energy and maintenance. Also, indoor signs don’t need to be as bright because people are looking at them from less of a distance than your main outdoor signs.
Retrofitting Older Neon Signs with LED Lights
If you currently have neon signage, you can probably retrofit signs with LEDs. This generally involves taking out the old neon components and replacing them with newer LED neon technology. This can help you keep the same look, but gain the advantage of LED’s energy efficiency, brightness, and low maintenance characteristics.
Retrofitting Houston channel letter signs with new LED lights is a snap with our team. First, we’ll take off the letter faces and remove the old neon tubing. Our technician will need to clean out the interior of the channel letters and then install the new lights. We’ll also need to replace the power supply to suit your new LEDs.
This is a great option if you have signage that’s in good condition, but simply want to upgrade to a superior lighting option. However, if your signs are old, outdated, or need repair frequently, we suggest getting new Houston custom signs that use LED lighting. This can help amplify your location’s appeal to potential customers.
Houston Custom Signs from 4D Signworx
Whether you need signage retrofitting or brand new sign fabrication, choose our team at 4D Signworx. We’ve been making signs since 1968 and offer high quality solutions for your needs. We design, fabricate, install, and maintain signs to help you get the most out of your signage. Call us today at (713) 984-2010 to request a free quote!