Today, we’ll take a look at custom neon signs as well as LED neon signs.

We’ve been in the custom-designed signage industry for more than 10 years. We are experts in the sign design, manufacturing, maintenance, and installation of various types of signage. We’d love to share our expertise with you.

We’ll go over the advantages and drawbacks of both custom neon signs and LED neon signs and help you decide which would be the ideal choice for your business. Let’s start.

What are Custom Neon Signs?

Long glass tubes filled with gas are neon signs.

Neon signs are a very robust and durable type of light bulb that is very similar to fluorescent light. Neon signs are made of a long, luminous gas-discharge tube that has been heated, then formed into letters and forms.

Custom-designed neon signs reached their peak in popularity during the 1920s and 1960s, but they died out in the 1990s with the development of LED technology.

While neon is often used to describe the type of lighting, it is only used to produce around 1/3 of the colors including orange, pink, and red.

Argon Gas mixed with a drop of Mercury is utilized to produce blue as well as green, yellow, and violet, as well as certain shades of pink that are soft.

If the current of electricity hits the electrodes in the tube, the atoms begin to glow.

The following video will explain the way the neon sign operates.

The tube’s atoms shine when the electrons in the tube are impacted by the electric current from the neon light.

What are the LED Neon Signs?

LED is a short form for the light-emitting diode. These tiny Light Emitting Diodes are arranged on a sturdy black backing. They can be bent into the shape you want and cut into the length that you want.

This video will explain how LEDs work.

LED Neon signs are made of flexible plastic tubing

Custom neon signs have many advantages

The Gases in Your Neon Sign Have a long life span: Neon signs are designed to last for a lengthy period of duration. The gas that you see in the sign’s cylinder is capable of producing light for up to 50 years.

more energy efficient than fluorescent Bulbs: Neon signs use less power than fluorescent signs, but they consume more energy than LED. If you allow the neon sign on for 12 hours every day, it will use approximately 1,752 kWh of energy over a calendar year. The fluorescent ones will require around 2,672kWh.

costs less than a fluorescent: If your electric bill is around 13 cents per month, that means that you’ll be paying $228 to run a fluorescent sign and $347 to run one that is fluorescent.

The cost of neon signage is higher to operate than neon signs.

The disadvantages of custom Neon Signs

The electrical components of a Transformer Last Less than the Gas: While the neon sign’s gas can last for 50 years, the electronic components, including the transformer as well as the other electrical components, will likely last only up to 15 years. The higher the quality of the transformer you choose the longer it will last.

Not suitable for exposure to the elements: Custom neon signs should only be used outside in a location that is completely protected from rain, snow, and ice underneath an outdoor roof or a large roof overhang. They are more suitable for indoor use.

Costlier than LED neon signs It’s difficult to estimate the cost of your custom neon sign. It’s contingent upon the design and size. Overall, though a neon sign will indeed cost more than a LED neon sign.

More expensive than LED Signs operate: neon signs are more costly to operate than LED signs. A typical LED sign will only cost around $80 annually to run whereas an average neon sign will cost about $228 a year.

Custom neon signs may be more expensive to operate than a custom LED neon sign

Benefits of LED Neon Signs

More Energy Efficient: LED signs use much less energy than conventional incandescent lights up to 75 percent less energy. They also use less energy than neon lights.

Last Longer than Incandescent Lights: LEDs can also save you in replacement costs due to their ability to last up to 25 times longer than regular incandescent lighting.

Retrofitting Old Signage with LED is Possible: Most sign lighting systems can work with modern, energy-efficient LED systems. This process is called retrofitting. Retrofitting is possible for almost any type of illuminated sign.

If you find that your current signage isn’t performing as well as it should then it might be more cost-effective to replace it with one that’s contemporary, professional,, and portrays your branding better instead of investing in retrofitting it.

The best for outside applications: Led neon signs are water-proof, which means they are suitable for indoor use as well as outdoors.

More Visible In Sunlight: LED lights generally appear more prominent in sunlight so they are a better option for outdoor use.

LED neon signs use less energy than traditional neon signs.

Advantages of LED Neon Signs

not as bright as LED: Neon signs have more lumens per watt than LEDs which means that LED signs may not be as bright as traditional neon signs.

Do Not Cut Through Fog: LED neon signs will not cut through the fog, as do traditional neon lights.

Custom Neon Signs Compare Custom Neon LED Signs – Which Is Better?

When deciding between custom neon signs or custom LED neon signs, the first step is to decide on the goal of your sign.

If you own a business with a retro feel to it and you’re looking for authentic signs and don’t have any concerns about cost then opting for customized neon signs is an excellent option.

If you’d like to place your signage outside, and you want a neon look without the cost An LED neon sign would make the best sense.