# Satellite Removal



## FordRacer2007 (Nov 28, 2010)

I bought a house about a month ago and realized they had a satellite installed on the roof. I have no plans to use it as I've always been with cable services, I plan to remove it and I'm sure it is bolted onto the roof so I should have no problem with that, but my issue is with the aftermath. What do I do with the holes that will be left? What do I fill them in with?


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## Roofmaster417 (Jun 9, 2010)

You have 3 options but first I would like to tell you that I am impressed.
Majority could care less. I always inform my customers of the con's of allowing a dish company to plow Thur your roof with an average of 4 bolts to anchor the dish to your roof. Alot of people don't know that once you sign the service agreement then you just gave them permission to install/anchor the dish and YOU just accepted sole responsibility if it leaks or not.,and believe me they are no roofers.1st option super simple.Remove
the bolts anchoring the dish.Buy a rubberized sealant before this endeavor
begins, remember safety.Alot of homeowners fall and are severely hurt so make sure you have a safety plan. Also when anyone is not a qualified roof specialist and you do these repairs on your home ,make sure you have someone visually in your sight in the event the unthinkable should happen Anyway remove the dish, discard or recycle, clean around where the feet of the mount that was on the roof. If the shingle isn't damaged or torn then fill the holes up with the rubberized sealant.2nd option is to do the previous step and instead of just filling the holes remove the shingles that were affected by the mount and prior to re installing the shingles apply enough rubberized sealant to the holes. then shingle and your done. 3rd option is to do everything up to the sealing of the holes and now remove the decking that the bolts penetrated.I would recommend option 2.Good Luck.


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## CplDevilDog (Mar 18, 2009)

LOL

I called our local Cable TV company and told them we just bought the house with a cable dish on the roof.

They offered to come out and remove it, pay ME $100 cash and give me free service for 3 months.

Of course that was 1999 when there were some serious pricing wars going on but its worth a shot.


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## FordRacer2007 (Nov 28, 2010)

Roofmaster417 said:


> You have 3 options but first I would like to tell you that I am impressed.
> Majority could care less. I always inform my customers of the con's of allowing a dish company to plow Thur your roof with an average of 4 bolts to anchor the dish to your roof. Alot of people don't know that once you sign the service agreement then you just gave them permission to install/anchor the dish and YOU just accepted sole responsibility if it leaks or not.,and believe me they are no roofers.1st option super simple.Remove
> the bolts anchoring the dish.Buy a rubberized sealant before this endeavor
> begins, remember safety.Alot of homeowners fall and are severely hurt so make sure you have a safety plan. Also when anyone is not a qualified roof specialist and you do these repairs on your home ,make sure you have someone visually in your sight in the event the unthinkable should happen Anyway remove the dish, discard or recycle, clean around where the feet of the mount that was on the roof. If the shingle isn't damaged or torn then fill the holes up with the rubberized sealant.2nd option is to do the previous step and instead of just filling the holes remove the shingles that were affected by the mount and prior to re installing the shingles apply enough rubberized sealant to the holes. then shingle and your done. 3rd option is to do everything up to the sealing of the holes and now remove the decking that the bolts penetrated.I would recommend option 2.Good Luck.


I completely agree, if I wanted satellite I'd have them plant it on the ground instead. Thanks so much for the info, I will be removing it once it gets a little warmer.


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## Jackofall1 (Dec 5, 2010)

Agree with roofmaster, but I would fill the hole with sealant, and then dab sealant on a lag with a washer and screw the lag back in the hole. Just a bit more bite for the sealant to adhere to.


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## Michael Thomas (Jan 27, 2008)

1) BTW, it is possible to install a dish on a composition shingle roof so that things don't leak, for example: 










- RetroDeck Satellite Dish Mount

....but the satellite provider's :jester: ain't gonna' do it that way .

2) Don't know where you are located, but your chances of damaging shingles are _much_ higher in very cold weather, in some areas you may want to wait 'till spring to make your repairs.

(Usual don't work for Smarthome or RetroDeck ext. disclaimer)


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## Talos4 (Aug 10, 2006)

Why not leave the foot there? 

Seriously, Take the mast off the foot and leave it alone. does it leak? 

IF the OP considers the foot an eyesore and the WAF is high, then by all means option 2 at the least. 

BTW, I have a dish on my roof. 13 years not a leak. Of course I'm on my roof twice a year inspecting and maintaining it. Even when I'm not working I find my way onto a roof.


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## Roofmaster417 (Jun 9, 2010)

Talos4 said:


> Even when I'm not working I find my way onto a roof.


Thats funny because I work on houses everyday.When I go on vacation I am on family members houses,family members neighbors houses.,but it o.k


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## Tom Struble (Dec 29, 2008)

just install the mount,you may later change your mind


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Roofmaster417 said:


> You have 3 options but first I would like to tell you that I am impressed.
> Majority could care less. I always inform my customers of the con's of allowing a dish company to plow Thur your roof with an average of 4 bolts to anchor the dish to your roof. Alot of people don't know that once you sign the service agreement then you just gave them permission to install/anchor the dish and YOU just accepted sole responsibility if it leaks or not.,and believe me they are no roofers.1st option super simple.Remove
> the bolts anchoring the dish.Buy a rubberized sealant before this endeavor
> begins, remember safety.Alot of homeowners fall and are severely hurt so make sure you have a safety plan. Also when anyone is not a qualified roof specialist and you do these repairs on your home ,make sure you have someone visually in your sight in the event the unthinkable should happen Anyway remove the dish, discard or recycle, clean around where the feet of the mount that was on the roof. If the shingle isn't damaged or torn then fill the holes up with the rubberized sealant.2nd option is to do the previous step and instead of just filling the holes remove the shingles that were affected by the mount and prior to re installing the shingles apply enough rubberized sealant to the holes. then shingle and your done. 3rd option is to do everything up to the sealing of the holes and now remove the decking that the bolts penetrated.I would recommend option 2.Good Luck.


+1

Good post.


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## Michael Thomas (Jan 27, 2008)

Finally got around to taking a picture of a failed dish installation, this one pulled off in a high wind when the lag bolts pulled out of the OSB sheathing due to deteriorated sheathing caused by water entry at the fasteners:


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## AndyWRS (Feb 1, 2012)

You should see the smashed tiles we run accross when they install the dish to a stone coated metal roof on battens. Granted, not the most walkable product if your unfamilar with them. Not to mention putting the ladder 30+ feet away, then leaving a nice trail of smashed panels to the dish.

Dish - a metal roof panel dented to the point it holds water on a 5 /12 pitch. 

rant over.


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## Marty1Mc (Mar 19, 2011)

Just had my roof replaced and they took the satellite dish off the old roof. In the estimate was $78 for re-install and pointing. When the new roof was done, I called to have it installed on the side of the house. (Can't get line of site to the satellites from the ground due to trees). They told me they would only install it ON the roofing surface. I thanked them and hung up and went out an installed it myself. It took a satellite locating app for my phone and a TV to monitor signal, and some internet searching to find the correct satellite to dial in. It took a while to get it lined up, but it works and is not installed on my roof. If I switch back to cable, I didn't want an ugly dish mounting plate stuck to my roof. I also plan to sell this place at some point as it is just too big now without kids here. It would be an eyesore while trying to move the house.

I have mine mounted on the side. The wind blows from the west and across the satellite dish, not at it. I had one mounted like that before for about 10 yrs without issues, through 2 hurricanes. Either way, I would rather remount it on the side of the house, than have it tear up a brand new $18k roof.

Also, I don't see how you will get the mounting plate off without damaging the shingles. I had layers of shingles stuck to the bottom that took quite a bit of scraping to remove so I could re-install.


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