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Direct TV dish

I know that just about everyone has seen those roof mounted satellite dishes for Direct TV. Have you ever wondered why they put them on the roof? Would you belive that is the easyest way to mount one! It is also 100% incorrect. Every single roofing manufacturer states that their products are not to be punctured in anyway, shape or form. They go on to say that if the shingle is punctured that it needs to be replaced.

Why do the manufacturers not want holes in their shingles? Could it be that holes tend to leak!

The satellite dish installers could care less about your roof, their job is to install the dish as quick as they can and then move to the next victim.

So the next time you see this type of roof mounted dish you will know that it is wrong!

The owner of this home kept trying to tell me that it must be OK, because all of the other homes in the area have been done like this. I could not make him understand that Direct TV does not control what is right when it comes to roofing materials.

I have also noted that many home inspectors are not reporting them either. I just finished reviewing three reports from home inspectors who did not note the roof mounted dishes. All three homes have had problems. Two of the homes have roof and wall damage from water leaks and the other had a section of the roof (along with the dish) torn off in a thunderstorm. The dish acted like a sail and as it was only screwed into the OSB decking, that section of the roof took off like a sailboard.

Posted by Scott Patterson - Middle TN Home Inspector on 04/03/2009 04:24 PM

Comments (9)

roof inspections, ashi, direct tv, franklin tn

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9 Comments on Direct TV dish

APR

What you are saying is very sensible. I wouldn't have thought about the dish being a sail!

APR

Now THAT would have made a very cool photo

APR

Scott, great point. I have seen only one of these mounted where there was sealant on the screws and found out that the home owner sealed it and not the installer.

APR

Scott, I haven't seen that type of damage yet but everything you say is true, thanks for the heads up.

APR

Mine is put on that way. I suppose I need to check it out and see if there is any damage yet.

APR

Thank you Scott! I have been saying this for quite some time and actually was going to be writing about this same topic and it seem you beat me to it! Good post.

APR

I have to disagree. As long as it is properly sealed with gasket or sealant at the penetrations and it is attached through the sheathing into the rafter it should withstand normal storms. Granted hurricanes and such will take them off but will also take other things.

Many flashing's are nailed or screwed in the same fashion and the fasteners are sealed. Apron flashing's are nailed along the leading edge, Metal ridge vent is nailed along it's length etc. We have installed turrets and steeples by means of exposed fasteners. You just need to use common sense when installing and sealing.

I have a Master Shingle Applicator manual and I found no statements saying you can't or can install items to the face of the shingle. As with everything if it is installed correctly there should not be a problem. I have seen a few of the hundreds that the sheathing was water damaged but that was installer error.

Granted Scott I am in agreement that it should not be installed there for reasons stated and playing devils advocate but I have not seen anything that Say's you can't. It's all in the detail of the installation and we know how that goes.

Hi Mike,

The problem comes in the form of the manufacturers warranty. They (the shingle manufacturers) will not cover problems with the shingles if something has been attached to the roof after the roof has been installed. Owens Corning spells it out pretty good in the warranty. I think I have the same "master" roofing guide, it just covers the installation and not what happens to the roof by other contractors.

Painters are the worst, they nail in 2x4's for toe hold boards and never fill the holes when they pull the boards up.

APR

Scott, you may be correct. painters are not the only culprits. Siding installers and roofers toe boards as well as the scaffold brackets from the siding crew. There was a neighborhood I inspected many homes in, Everyone had holes from brackets and toe boards.

I wish trades would take pride in there work. I know there are some but they are a dying breed.

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