Wind Chimes Care Tips
Wind chimes are not indestructible.
Be kind to your chime. No wind chime should be left outside throughout the winter months unless it is in a particularly sheltered spot e.g. under a porch. Strong winds will cause chafing and ultimately breakage of the nylon line as the sound tubes flap about.
Ideally your chime should temporarily be taken down if the wind strength reaches gale force at any time of the year. If yours is a particularly large, heavy chime (4 ft +), you might consider binding the sound tubes together until the wind subsides.
A lot of metal chimes have coloured powder coated tubes - the coating may flake off if the chimes are waggling about violently and knocking against each other.
Persistent wet weather will result in mould and green algae on wooden components.
Metal Wind Chimes
Aluminium alloy chimes will not rust, but they
may naturally pit when placed outdoors. Gentle cleaning with fine steel
wool will restore the smooth finish.
Periodically apply a
thin coat of Danish or lemon oil with a clean cloth or brush to all
hardwood parts. Regular oiling will help protect the wood and retard the
natural ageing process.
Bamboo Wind Chimes
Bamboo is sensitive to humidity and sudden temperature changes. Cracks in bamboo occur as the bamboo expands and contracts in reaction to climate changes: cracks are not of concern; they are normal to bamboo and will not affect the sound of your chimes. They generally do not develop into larger cracks.
Bamboo chimes are very resiliant, but should be
brought in during extreme weather or harsh winters. They can be wiped
with a damp cloth to remove any build-up of dirt or mould, and it's a
good idea to apply a coat of varnish in the spring.
Check the
nylon line from time to time - most bamboo wind chimes are threaded on
rot-proof nylon line, but over time even this may chafe and wear
through. It's not difficult to re-thread a chime using similar line.
Follow the above advice and your bamboo chime will give you pleasure for many years.
Where should I hang my wind chime?
The higher you can place your chime, the more likely it is to catch the wind. Always hang it directly onto the support - be it a branch, pergola, etc - do not attach it by means of a length of cord or twine. This will simply result in the whole chime swinging about in the wind, rather than just the wind catcher, and it won't actually make much noise.
If the chime has a ring at the top, you may need to buy an 'S'-hook - this is fine as it's rigid, so the chime won't waggle about.
