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Satellite dish TV is considered essential equipment for many Atlanta sports fans. But before you let the dish installer climb up on your roof, you should think about the risks and ask about other installation methods. There are good reasons why manufacturers don’t recommend mounting a satellite dish on your roof.
Mounting A Satellite Dish On Your Atlanta Roof Is Risky Business
By searching the internet for satellite dish installation instructions, you can find recommendations and guidelines from the major dish manufacturers. Their instructions include some ominous warnings about mounting a satellite dish on a roof. For example:
- Roof installation should be done only as a last resort
- Roof leaks can result from improper sealing of the dish mount holes
- For flat roof installations do not mount dish where water can pool
- Roof leaks and other problems may develop over time
- Dish may not be mounted on shake or slate shingles
If you have an asphalt shingle roof, it may seem like the perfect location for your new satellite dish. Your roof is reasonably flat, and from the rooftop, it is easier to gain a clear line of sight to an orbiting satellite.
Unfortunately, installing a satellite dish on your roof requires drilling holes all the way through it. This means the shingles, underlayment and roof deck that are meant to prevent water from entering your home have been breached.
Water Damage And Satellite Dish Roof Installations
To prevent water from seeping through the open holes in your roof, dish manufacturers recommend that sealants be applied inside the holes, as well as under and around the dish mounting bracket. However, as any experienced Atlanta roofing contractor knows, sealants cannot be relied on as the primary line of defense against water intrusion, especially on a roof.
Over time solar radiation, heat and wind cause sealants to become dry and brittle. Eventually cracks develop and seals break free, allowing water to pass and enter your home.
The reliance on sealants to block out water is the main reason why water damage is a serious risk when a satellite dish is mounted on your roof. That’s why dish manufacturers are careful to point out that roof installations should be done only as a last resort.
Is Your Dish Installer An Experienced Atlanta Roofing Contractor?
Your dish installer’s primary job is to make sure your television is receiving a strong a clear satellite signal. Although he’s been trained to perform dish installations on in-ground poles, walls, and roofs, he has not been trained as a professional roofer.
Preventing future roof leaks and protecting your roof’s structural components are probably not your dish installer’s top priorities. This is another good reason why you should follow the advice of the dish manufacturers, and choose another installation method.
But if you determine that a roof installation is your only option, then at least review the following recommendations to reduce the chance of roof leaks and subsequent water damage.
- Confirm that your dish installer follows the manufacturer’s roof mounting instructions
- Verify the mounting bracket is located so that multiple fasteners/bolts are go into a truss or rafter.
- Confirm that sealants are properly applied under the mounting bracket, along its edges, and inside of all drilled holes.
- Before the dish installer arrives, ask an Atlanta roofing company if they have satellite dish roof installation recommendations, methods or hardware.
Findlay Roofing – Repairs and Protection For Your Atlanta Roof
At Findlay Roofing we understand how important it is to prevent roof leaks from starting in the first place. If you have more questions about how to minimize the risk of roof leaks when installing a satellite dish, we invite you to contact us today.
We also encourage you to call us to schedule a free roof analysis, especially if you suspect you have a leaky roof. We’ll be happy to inspect your roof, locate your leaks and advise you on roof repairs, whether your home is in Atlanta, Marietta or elsewhere in the North Georgia area.
