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Neon signs can give off a beautiful glow, but the magic behind their design can be a mystery if you’ve never bought one before. We’ve been making neon signs for decades, and like to think of ourselves as master glass benders! With that in mind, we want to share some facts about neon signs that you might find interesting.
Whether you’d like to learn a little more about neon signs, or you have some questions about how they work, have a read of our Did You Know blog!
Neon signs can last for years and still shine as bright as the day they were made. Our Homer and Bart neon sign was made in 2005, and still shines brilliantly even though it’s been turned on every day.
We’ve heard some fascinating stories over the years about neon signs lasting for decades. The renovation of a restaurant in Los Angeles uncovered a neon sign that had been left on since around 1935!
If you take the typical size of a neon sign made for a home or business for decorative purposes, neon signs aren’t expensive to run. The neon signs that we supply are plugged into a standard mains plug socket, and generally run at around 60 Watts.
To put it into perspective, a 100 Watt bulb can run for 10 hours for 1kWh of consumption. The average cost of electricity in the UK is 17p per kWh. So, if you keep your neon sign on for 10 hours a day every day, it will cost around £62.05 a year. Bear in mind this is based on a neon sign that runs at 100 Watts; most signs run at less than this.
Many think that the glow from a neon sign can generate lot of heat, which could be off-putting if you’re displaying the sign in a high-traffic area. Lucky for you, this isn’t the case at all!
The neon tubes may feel slightly warm but they are certainly not hot, and you can touch them without burning your fingers or feeling any discomfort. This can offer some peace of mind, knowing you can install your neon sign safely.
Our neon tubes come in a variety of diameters, starting at 8mm and going up to 20mm. The choice of diameter of the glass tube will usually depend on the design. For example, for small letters we would opt for 8mm diameter tubes, as you can achieve a better definition.
Larger diameter tubes are mostly used for straight or angled sections of neon. You can see here the different diameters in action!
Neon signs are made using either neon or argon gas, or a combination of both. Neon and argon gases are noble gases, which means they are found in the air we breathe every day. This means our neon signs aren’t toxic and won’t give off any toxic substances, so they’re safe to hang wherever you see fit!
When the neon tubes are filled with the gas that creates the colour, it gives off a complete 360 degree light source. Other lights, such as LED, only offer light on the front and partially on the sides.
This gives our neon signs an amazing glow, making them visually appealing in every setting.
We have around 40 different colours to choose from when creating a neon sign. From blacklight (UV) and white to different shades of blue, purple, pink, green, red, yellow and orange, our rainbow of neon colours is dazzling. Some colours are more suitable than others depending on the design. We can help you decide and advise on the best colours that will make an impact! Check out our neon colour guide.
Most of the neon signs we make don’t require any specialist installation, which means it’s so easy for you to hang it up once you receive it! Our neon signs are often supplied in an acrylic case or on some sort of backing, so they can be fixed to the wall or hung from a chain. All you need to do then is plug it into a standards main plug socket, and you can enjoy the warm glow of your new neon sign.
If you have any other questions about our neon signs or how we make them, don’t hesitate to get in touch today!