Most people think that after mounting outdoor speakers, you can forget about them until they start giving problems or it is time for replacements. While this is true for some of the more resilient models that are water and weatherproof, a little maintenance can ensure that your outdoor speakers last for years. Maintenance is essential to keeping your outdoor speakers working correctly, and don’t suffer from degradation over time.
Choosing only the best patio speakers can reduce the amount of maintenance required, while those with manufacturing flaws will need more regular inspections.
More than likely, your speakers came with a user manual. In most cases, manufacturers will include maintenance tips in these manuals, and before doing anything else, it’s worth reading it.
The initial placement of your speakers, especially for wired and mounted models, will significantly impact the maintenance required. So a speaker in a shady spot under the eaves will have an easier life than one in the dirt next to the pool.
Inspect & Clean Every 3 to 6 Months
To ensure the longevity of your outdoor speakers, I recommend inspecting them once every 3 to 6 months to ensure they are in good working order. Consider performing the following tasks each inspection cycle.
Look For Signs Of Physical Damage
While speakers with good build quality tend to last for many years before showing signs of physical damage, this is something that should be checked on, especially as it may fall under warranty.
Inspect all areas of the speakers for signs of corrosion or cracks. Humidity and rain may cause areas of rust or corrosion, and sunlight can cause plastics to expand and crack over time. This is the most important part of the inspection, as weaknesses in the physical build of the speaker can cause direct damage to the inner electrical components.
Check The Grille For Debris
Over time debris can collect in the grille of the speaker, sometimes wedged between the mesh. Smaller objects may even be blown through the grille and sit inside the speaker case close to the driver. It’s important to clean regularly clean this debris away as it not only looks bad but can even affect the audio quality.
Remove The Grille & Inspect The Drivers
Look in your user manual whether your speakers feature removable grilles. In most cases they do, and this is a useful way to access the front of your speaker drivers. Drivers refer to the inside of a speaker that moves the air, creating sound. Woofers and tweeters should be inspected for any dirt or debris and then gently removed. Be careful not to damage the drivers as the materials used can be fragile. Small pebbles can cause rattling and small twigs pose the risk of damaging the drivers.
It’s important not to force the enclosure open, and to ensure that the grille is removable beforehand. Sometimes it can take a bit of force to pop the grille off, but doing so on speakers that have fixed grilles can break the speaker.
With fixed grille speakers, preventative maintenance, such as cleaning the speaker’s exterior and keeping the area around the speaker clean, is the best action. You want to keep the grille clear of obstructions as this will impact the sound, so remove any leaves, spider webs, or debris that may have blown into any openings on the speaker.
Wash Down The Exterior
To keep the exterior of your outdoor speaker looking good, you can use dishwashing liquid or other very mild detergents for cleaning. For waterproof units, a hose and clean water are also effective, but no matter what speaker you have, don’t use a hose with high pressure or try forcing water into the acoustic ports and grill while cleaning.
If you’re cleaning the terminals, instead of using soap, we recommend going with Isopropyl alcohol, which has a very low evaporation temperature.
Wire Maintenance
Extra precautions should be taken with the speaker wires as these will usually be the weak spots where damage first occurs. Never leave the wires exposed and above ground where they can be damaged by the elements, lawnmowers, or someone tripping over them. Running the speaker cables through PVC piping and burying them will ensure they remain out of harm’s way and require way less maintenance in the long run. Using silicone beads to seal each length of pipe will keep out the moisture and bugs for extra longevity.
Remember to use only cables that are rated for direct burial as well. If your speakers are installed in an area with saltwater exposure, you may want to use a silicone caulking material, such as RTV adhesive, to protect the bare ends of the speaker cord. After application, check the connections occasionally and reapply the silicone caulking material if needed.
Protect Against the Elements
If your outdoor speakers are not waterproof and are mounted outside, regularly check that they are still protected from the elements. These speakers are typically installed on the underside of eaves and overhangs for protection, so inspect the area and ensure nothing has changed that may have exposed the speakers. Also, check the brackets or wall mounts are used to ensure that the speakers are still securely fastened and not at any risk of falling, which can cause damage.
Another thing to check is exposure to direct sunlight, which may cause deterioration of the speaker cones depending on the design of your outdoor speaker. If you installed the speaker in a shady spot, ensure that nothing has changed in the environment that may have caused the shade to decrease. Extremely cold temperatures can also be detrimental to your speakers, so covering your speakers with a plastic bag or container when it snows for some added protection is also a good idea.
This is a trick used by many theme parks for their outdoor speakers as added protection and is just as effective for your backyard. If the weather is freezing, you should probably hold off on using your outdoor speakers as there is a chance that the internal components could be more brittle and susceptible to damage. Of course, you have very little business outside and listening to music in freezing temperatures, so this shouldn’t be an issue. Still, it is worth bearing in mind if you want to extend the longevity of your equipment.
Watch Out For Pests
Finally, outdoor speakers frequently become hosts to various insects, rodents, and birds. The best approach to dealing with pests is avoiding them, to begin with. While it’s nearly impossible to avoid any pest issues, there are some best practices you can use to prevent wasps, hornets, and bees from making your speakers home.
- Ensure the grille is on properly without empty spaces.
- Add pest repellents like peppermint oil, citronella, or eucalyptus oil around the speaker.
- Place a separate fine mesh covering around the speakers.
- Use additional outdoor speaker covers.
If you spot that your speaker has fallen victim to animals, try and be respectful of the creatures, while also ensuring that they aren’t damaging your equipment. Wasps and hornets are a common problem that can cause damage, while bird nests can also pose challenges.
To prevent damage, regularly check for signs of insect nests and remove them in the early stages to avoid a large colony from forming.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that no matter how resilient your outdoor speakers are, you can always squeeze a few more years out of them with proper maintenance. Depending on the type and quality of the speaker, there is no need to fuss over it every day, but a little bit of maintenance now and then can make all the difference in the world when it comes to the longevity of your equipment. Treat your outdoor speakers like an investment instead of something expendable, and your wallet will thank you.
I really appreciate your advice to avoid opening your speakers to check for dirt, as that might compromise their weather resistance. My brother recently invested in some outdoor speakers for his new backyard, and he wants to know how often he should clean the inside of them. I will be sure to tell him that if he does, he might compromise the weather resistance of those speakers!