Now that you’ve purchased a windscreen, what’s the next step? How do you ensure that your windscreen maintains its vibrant colors and shape? Thankfully, Team Fitz windscreens are built to last with durable mesh, reinforced webbing, and well-placed grommets to anchor it in place. Check out these tips to help ensure you get the maximum life from your windscreen.
GETTING STARTED WITH YOUR WINDSCREEN
In addition to making sure your windscreen is made with quality materials and construction methods, there other considerations that should be made as you get started with your own custom windscreen.
- Make sure that your larger windscreens are broken down into sections when produced. Each sections should not be more than 50 – 60 feet in length. This will dramatically help when it comes time to install. It is much easier to hang a 50-foot section than a cumbersome 150 feet. Smaller sections also allow you to replace just a portion of the windscreen rather than the entire piece if it is ever damaged.
- A properly installed windscreen will not only look better, but it will also hold up to weather and strong winds more effectively. Installing a windscreen is not difficult, but there are a few tricks that help ensure it’s effectively attached to the fence. Download our free windscreen toolkit for info on how to properly install a windscreen.
- The fasteners used to attach a windscreen to a fence may seem trivial, but does make a big difference in how well your windscreen performs. The first thing to look for is a UV rating. UV-rated zip ties are resistant to harmful UV light from the sun and are manufactured to be used continuously outdoors. The next thing to consider it the tensile strength of the ties. Tensile strength is the resistance of a material to breaking under tension. For most applications, look for zip ties with a tensile strength of 50 pounds. For especially windy applications, a tensile strength of 120 pounds can be used.
WINDSCREEN MAINTENANCE
Made from durable, all-weather materials, Team Fitz windscreens do not require much maintenance once installed. Below are a few tips for keeping your windscreen in top shape.
- Clean the dust off your windscreen once or twice a season by lightly spraying with a hose. Make sure you allow it to dry thoroughly if you are cleaning before you store it for the offseason.
- Periodically look for broken zip ties and replace as necessary. When windscreen sections break loose and whip against the fence, they can be damaged very quickly. This can easily be prevented with a periodic check.
STORE WINDSCREEN IN OFFSEASON
To make the most out of your custom windscreen, we advise taking it down and storing it during the offseason. While this is not always necessary, it can significantly prolong the life of a windscreen. Storing it during the offseason can help mitigate these effects:
- The sun’s damaging rays are hard on all outdoor signage and banners. Windscreens are no exception, as they can be affected by color fade over time due to UV light exposure. All Team Fitz windscreens are printed with high-performance inks that ensure a high quality print and maximum resistance to exposure related color fade. Team Fitz backs that up with a 2-year warranty against fading which occurs as a result of product design or manufacturing defect.
- General exposure to extreme heat / sun of the summer and ice / snow in the winter can be hard on windscreen. Any time you can reduce exposure to these types of conditions, you will increase the longevity of your windscreen.
- Outdoor signage and banners are always exposed to the possibility of vandalism. Removing and storing your windscreen during periods of inactivity, such as summer break, can help prevent vandalism damage.
- Windscreen can add tension to fences in high-wind situations. By removing your windscreen during the offseason, you will help alleviate unnecessary tension on your fencing. Team Fitz offers a couple different windscreen mesh options that allow a varying degree of wind to pass through unobstructed. We will be a happy to guide you through these options to help you select the right material for your windscreen.