Does extreme weather effect the longevity of my vinyl?

If you take proper care of your vinyl graphics or wrap, the simple answer is no.

How do I take care of graphics in cold winter weather?

Snow and ice alone will not damage your graphics or wrap and most adhesive vinyls used on vehicles are designed to hold up well to road salt. However, precautions should be taken.

For vehicles, be sure to remove salt from the undercarriage, wheel wells, and equipment. What does the undercarriage have to do with your vehicle graphics? Nothing directly- the potential problem is rust. Rusted steel components eventually affect the graphics attached to them because you can’t wrap rust. Don’t scrape snow, ice, or salt off your car with ice scrapers or snow shovels — doing so could scratch your graphics. Carefully use a broom, or better yet, a soft cloth to remove snow and ice. Treat the graphic like you would paint. If you wouldn’t use an ice scraper on paint, don’t attempt it on vinyl. Don’t let road salt accumulate on your vehicle. Adhesive vinyl resists salt, but if it’s exposed to road salt over a long period, damage could occur. Road salt is extremely corrosive. Additionally, do not use an ice scraper to remove snow and ice from solid vinyl or perforated vinyl covered windows. It is recommended to use the window defroster and a snow brush rather than ice scraper to clear the window.

For boats, not too much needs to be done for maintenance. Like on a vehicle, don't use any tool that you wouldn't use on the underlying paint/gelcoat. Because the salt in salt water is far less corrosive than road salt, regular spray downs are sufficient to keep your graphics or wrap looking fresh.

How do I take care of graphics in hot weather?

Graphics and wraps are fairly low maintenance, especially in warm temperate weather. When it's really hot outside, be sure not to knock into or scrape the graphics as they are more susceptible to damage (immense heat makes vinyl more stretchy). If your graphics are directly exposed to UV on a regular basis, you may start to notice fading after time. This is because the UV protection on vinyl does weaken over time and is a completely normal part of the vinyl's lifespan. The best way to keep fading at bay is to wax your wrap/graphics regularly.