Your flagpole is an investment, and with proper care and maintenance, it can stay looking great for years to come. A rule of thumb is to inspect your flagpole and its parts whenever you replace your flag. Flagpoles can be subjected to extreme weather that include high winds, extreme humidity or extreme cold. Now that spring is here, it’s a great time to do a little spring cleaning on your flagpole and accessories.
Most aluminum flagpoles can be cleaned with mild soap and warm water. By simply attaching a soapy sponge to the halyard, you can clean the pole by raising and lowering the halyard with the sponge attached. If cleaning the flagpole requires more than soap and water, purchasing aluminum cleaner from your local auto parts store will do the trick.
Fiberglass flagpoles can be cleaned with a mild bathroom cleaner and water. Flagpoles with anodized finishes, such as clear, bronze or black, do not require cleaning. The anodized color serves as a protective coating, and cleaning the surface can actually damage them and void the warranty.
Weather can also affect the flagpole’s halyard . The cold weather can cause a halyard to degrade and dry-rot, while salt air can cause the halyard’s fibers to appear “rotted out”. Wind, rain, and humidity can stress the halyard and cause it to fray as well. Replacing the halyard doesn’t have to require a bucket truck, though. A great tip is to just tape the end of the new halyard to the old one and pull it up the flagpole and through the truck’s pulley. A little tape around a frayed halyard end will help it pass through the truck’s pulley smoothly. Be sure not to overlap the two ends or use an excessive, bulky amount of tape. You want the rope to glide through the pulley easily.
You’ll also want to replace snaphooks and snaphook covers when you’re replacing the halyard.
United States Flag Store is here to answer all your questions. Feel free to give us a toll free call at 1-877-734-2458 or email us at support@onlinestores.com.
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