Flagpole and flag maintenance in Poland

A flagpole stands all year round in sun, rain, frost and wind. Most flagpoles need little work, but the halyard, pulley and fixings wear, and the flag fades and frays. Regular checks make it possible to spot faults before they become dangerous. This guide describes what is looked at when maintaining a flagpole and flag. Repairs are covered in the guide to flagpole repair.

The rules

Under article 61 of the Building Law, the owner or manager of a structure keeps it in proper condition and ensures its safe use, including in strong winds and lightning. Article 62 provides for periodic checks of structures:

The checks are carried out by people with building qualifications in the relevant field (article 62(4)), and a record is drawn up of each check (article 62a).

Checking the flagpole

Many owners check their flagpole in spring and autumn and after every storm. A check usually covers:

• the halyard: fraying, splitting, hardening from the sun, the condition of the ends;
• the pulley in the finial: whether the wheel turns freely and is not cracked;
• the snap hooks and cleat: whether they are bent, cracked or corroded;
• the fixing: the bolts in the base plate or ground sleeve, the hinge in a tilting pole;
• the pole: whether it is upright, cracks, chipped coating, corrosion at joints;
• the foundation: cracks in the concrete, settlement, water collecting at the base.

A tilting flagpole allows the finial and pulley to be inspected on the ground. Safe work at a flagpole is described in the guide to flagpole safety.

Cleaning

Aluminium and fibreglass flagpoles are usually washed with water and a mild detergent and a soft brush. Abrasives and solvents can damage the coating. For flagpoles by the sea, more frequent washing removes salt, which speeds up the corrosion of metal parts. The dull surface of a fibreglass flagpole can be refreshed with products intended for laminates.

Caring for the flag

According to the guidance of the National Security Bureau, the flag should always be well kept, and when it fades or tears it is replaced with a new one. In practice:

• a polyester flag is washed in lukewarm water with a mild detergent, without bleach;
• it is dried spread out, without wringing and out of strong sun;
• a wet flag is not stored folded, as it can go mouldy;
• a fraying fly edge can be hemmed before the fraying spreads over a larger part of the flag.

A flag flying permanently wears much faster than one flown on holidays. According to the Bureau, a worn-out flag with no historical value is destroyed with due dignity, for example by separating the colours. The factors that affect the durability and price of a flag are described in the guide to buying a flag.

In winter

In freezing rain and hard frost, the halyard and flag can ice up and stiffen. Many people take the flag down then. Water that gets inside the pole or ground sleeve and freezes can damage the joints, so the finial and the drainage at the base matter for the flagpole's durability. Durability is covered in the guide to flagpole lifespan.

Records of checks

Notes of checks, photos and the dates when the halyard or flag was replaced make it easier to plan maintenance. They can also matter when liability is assessed: under article 434 of the Civil Code, the autonomous possessor of a structure is not liable for its collapse if it resulted neither from a failure to keep the structure in proper condition nor from a construction defect.