Glow in the Dark Exit Signs: A Low Cost Option for Building Safety Compliance

Building evacuation Safety products are now being made from glow in the dark materials to offer increased identification reliability. Exits within a structure are required to have specific signing to meet local Building Safety and fire codes. Signs may be electric or luminescent in nature with photoluminescent options offering significant cost benefits over supplied alternatives. Incandescent lighted signing may not be a huge expense if only a few signs are required to maintain Compliance; however, fifty to one hundred of these identifiers can create extensive usage as well as maintenance costs. Electrically powered signing must be in operation every second of each day. Glow in the dark exit signs eliminate energy expenses altogether because they do not require electricity to be visible in emergencies. Necessary expenses for managing the care of self-luminous identifiers are lower as well.

Egress Marking Systems: Adding Up the Savings

The U.S. Department of Energy has reported a count of more than one hundred million electrical exit signs continuously running throughout the nation. Organizations using these items include schools, government Buildings, commercial facilities, and numerous public structures. This grouping averages over one billion dollars a year in energy consumption and servicing expenses. Of course, the magnitude of operational costs is much smaller within a single Building. A company or individual owner operating these signs within an entire structure can expect to spend between three to four thousand dollars a year for one hundred signs. Maintenance costs for bulb changes, testing, and wiring malfunctions increase this expense. Photoluminescent egress marking systems require minimal maintenance and do not have to be replaced as frequently. Replacement of electric signing is far more costly than that of self-luminous products.

Photoluminescent Safety items utilize existing lighting to gain the energy necessary for supplying a green glow when visibility is hindered within a Building. Since electrical energy is not required to be continually supplied to this type of egress marking system, a company or owner can save hundreds to thousands of dollars per year in utility expenses. Disposal and installation are other expenses to consider when making the decision between electrically powered and self-luminous signing options. An electric sign requires vast wiring both to the main power source as well as a secondary source. This creates a costly installation process that requires the assistance of a professional electrician. An owner must also purchase and install a generator or another backup source available in case main power fails.

Wiring maintenance may be required to supply consistent operational dependability or could be necessary during Building modifications. Signing will need to be tested to ensure proper operation and involves continual bulb changes. None of these tasks are necessary when using glow in the dark exit signs. Installation involves a few screws along with a couple of minutes of the installer's time. Disposal of electric signs is pricy because used materials are dangerous to the environment. Photoluminescent products are one hundred percent recyclable and can remain literally maintenance free for twenty-five years. It is easy to see why self-luminous products are the more cost efficient option for remaining in Compliance with national or local Building Safety codes.