The United States flag represents America. The white signifies purity and innocence; the red, hardiness and valor; the blue signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice. Whether you are flying a US flag or you have a state or military flag, it is important to make sure it stays in good condition to show respect for what you honor and support.
Flags should be inspected monthly for tears, fading, or tattering. These are signs that it is time to replace your flag. You can also follow a good rule of thumb and replace your flag every 6 months or once a year to keep your flag colors vibrant when flying proudly on your flagpole depending on the wind and weather conditions.
Here is a clear list of what to look for when deciding on when to replace your flag:
- Tears in the flag’s fabric
- Fraying around the edges of the flag
- Fading of colors on the flag
- Holes in the flag fabric
- Any stains that are not coming out when cleaning your flag
How to Properly Dispose of an American Flag
Disposing of a US flag has special procedures that should be followed to give honor to the colors. It is important to dispose of your US flag in a respectful manner. If you are flying an American flag on your flagpole, the US flag code states that “when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, it should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.
To dispose of a US Flag properly, there are many organizations you can drop your retired flag off at to be disposed of with honor. Flag disposal locations such as your local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) posts, American Legion posts, and Boy and Girl Scout organizations, will gladly take your US flag and retire them in a ceremony and burn. Never throw your American flag in the garbage or destroy it in any way that goes against the U.S. Flag Code.
How to Extend the Life of your Flag
If you want to avoid replacing your flag every 6 months, there are ways to prolong the life of your flag. While all of our flags at Collins Flags are made of durable materials, all flags wear overtime due to certain weather conditions such as snow, rain, sleet, and high winds.
Do the following to extend the life of your flag:
- Take your flag down in bad weather conditions - If the forecast shows any signs of bad weather conditions such as high winds, snow, rain, etc. you should take your flag down to avoid any damage.
- Clean your flag - If you are seeing that your flag has stains or dirt, consider taking it down and cleaning it. Follow our guide on flag care tips to learn how to properly and effectively clean your flag.
- Check the surroundings of your flag - If you notice that your flag is next to any rough surfaces such as trees, brick, gutters, wires, etc., consider relocating your flag to avoid contact with these surfaces that could cause additional wear and tear.
If after reading this you are considering buying a new flag, check out a variety of US flags, US military flags, US state flags, and more in different sizes and styles from Collins Flags.
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