Maintenance

Satellite Dishes and Your Roof

Satellite Dishes allow great service to reach your home.  If you are in a rural area this is especially true as it is often the only high speed communication service available.  In order for your satellite signal to travel over such great distances, they need a clear line of sight to the signal source or satellite.  Typically, the best position is on your roof or as high up as possible.   Satellite service providers will mount the satellite directly to your roof.  New punctures when not sealed properly can cause unknown leaks leading to thousands of dollars in repair or replacement costs.  A professional Bryan roofer can certainly help prevent this issue by working with satellite dish providers.

Satellite Dish Mounting

After your service agreement has been arranged, your installer will come to your location and climb on your roof.  Armed with a drill, the installer will drill holes directly into your roof in order to bolt on the satellite dish mount.  These holes pierce all layers or protection that your Bryan roofer installed, including the waterproof underlayment and seals.  The holes newly created large enough to fit a half inch bolt and are about 3 inches long.  Usually, four to six holes are drilled through the roof to complete the install.

The real issue with drilling directly into the roof is whether or not the installer uses the proper materials to prevent leaks.  Bolts should be stainless steel or made of some kind of anticorrosive properties. lnasmuch gaps should be closed with water resistant tar and sealant.  This step is often overlooked.

Running Wires

After the dish is mounted securely to your roofer, the installer must run the signal wire down to the receiver in your house.  This wire is attached with a staple gun.  This staple gun punctures typical asphalt shingles causing cracks in the shingles.  These cracks will expand when water and ice falls within.

How Damage Occurs

The damaged to the roof caused by the satellite installation is actually superficial at first.  The real damage actually happens later because the roof is already in a weakened state.  Without proper sealant water will follow the three inch bolts down their lengths and into the roof.  The same water also falls into cracks in the shingles.  Additionally, wires that are left on the roof can obstruct the flow of rain runoff.  This can lead to more water being retained on the roof.  Water can also be diverted to miss natural flows to gutters and their drain pipes.

When Leaks Form

When a leak forms in a roof the leak must be repaired quickly to prevent further damage to the roofing system.  In many cases, depending on the roofing materials used, an entire roof replacement may be needed.

If you experience a leak, the best thing to do is to have a professional Bryan roofer evaluate the damage to the roof.  This way if you do have to file an insurance claim, you will have proper documentation and evidence as to the underlying cause of the leak.

If you find that you have a leak formed after any installation to your roof, contact Schulte Roofing for a professional Bryan roofer evaluation.  They will provide you with the necessary documentation for your insurance claim, work with the satellite providers to provide the best installation techniques, and solve your leak issue.