Do Installers remove the old dish?

[dentonpc]

I recently upgraded to the 5LNB from the 3LNB. The Installer was really nice and seemed to do a good job. At the end though he told me he left the 3LNB Dish on the house. He said taking the old dish down is a "custom installation" and costs an extra $50. Is that right? Was he telling me the truth?


If that is true, that is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. Now I have 2 dishes on my house and I have to do it myself.

 

[DishDave]

I wish you lived closer to me. I would come do it for free. And yes installer do sometimes charge to take down an old Dish

 

[paulman182]

I'm glad the installer left my Phase III dish so I can connect to it if the AT9 ever has problems.

 

[HCI]

Taking the old dish down is not part of the installation of a new dish.

 

[damaged]

If the old dish hardware is penetrating the roof, you should be glad he did not try and remove it, they are not roofers, and chances are you would end up with leaks, it is my understanding, that a popular stance with most installation companies is to avoid that kind of scenario, telling the customer it will cost money usually does the trick, of course, he could have taken down the dish leaving the pole and mount in place, if for nothing else, just to be a nice guy.

 

[tjwagner]

It was never even brought up by the guy who came to my house and updraded me to the 5lnb slimline. He took the old one down, left it in my garage, and the new one went up. No charge.

 

[Claude Greiner]

I always remove the old Dish, and at the worse case I leave the bracket attatched to the roof and remove the dish and pipe mount.

Unless the Dish is in a spot which is not easily accessable, it should take no less than 5 minutes with a 7/16 wrench.

 

[johnml]

Whenever I had dish upgrades the installer always took the old dish down. I'd quit my job if I could get a job removing old dishes for $50 a pop. The installers here in south Florida (Mastec) use tapcons in the fascia boards so it couldnt get any easier than that to remove it.

 

[tjwagner]

Yea I agree. I'm in southwest florida.

 

[chadzx11]

That's hillarious. Are those tapcons even rated to secure that dish in high wind loads? Specs say lag bolts/screws.....

 

[johnml]

Tapcons are only good for concrete but the majority of the dishes here are mounted on the fascia boards. They cant speak English, so they probably cant read it either...

 

[MR.BIGGZ]

I recently upgraded to the 5LNB from the 3LNB. The Installer was really nice and seemed to do a good job. At the end though he told me he left the 3LNB Dish on the house. He said taking the old dish down is a "custom installation" and costs an extra $50. Is that right? Was he telling me the truth?


If that is true, that is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. Now I have 2 dishes on my house and I have to do it myself.

THATS THE MOST REDICULOUS THING I HAVE EVER HEARD!!ON A KA-KU UPGRADE YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THE OLD DISH,YOUR WHOLE SYSTEM RUNS OFF OF THE KA-KU DISH.DONT TELL ME THE TECH PUT THE KA -KU DISH NEXT TO YOUR ROOM W\ HD AND ONLY RAN THE WIRING TO THAT ROOM.ITS EASIER TO REPLACE THE DISH, ESPECIALY YOUR SYSTEM, WITH A TRIPPLE SAT DISH.THE KA KU DISH HAS THE SAME PRINCIPLES AS A OVAL 3 DISH.IF I WERE YOU I WOULD CALL D-TV AND HAVE THAT TECH GO BACK AND DO THE JOB PROPERLY!!

 

[Mike500]

That's hillarious. Are those tapcons even rated to secure that dish in high wind loads? Specs say lag bolts/screws.....

Hilarious, indeed.

Tapcons are made of tough high carbon heat treated steel, that is at least 85,000 to 100,000 PSI tensile strength or more Ever try to snap off one of these tough cookies?

Lag screws are made only of of SAE grade 2 #1018 mild steel, which as an approximate tensile strength of 50,000 to 60,000 PSI. That's why they break off even from attempts just to drive them into wood.

Tapcons are only good for concrete but the majority of the dishes here are mounted on the fascia boards. They cant speak English, so they probably cant read it either...

The continuous high low section of the thread in Tapcons actually hold better in wood than cheap lag screws with only treads near the tip and smooth shanks.


I almost NEVER use lag screws. I prefer the hardened hex head fully threaded and hardened sheet metal screws, at least #14 or larger. Are sheet metal screws only meant for sheet metal?

 

[chadzx11]

Hilarious, indeed.

Tapcons are made of tough high carbon heat treated steel, that is at least 85,000 to 100,000 PSI tensile strength or more Ever try to snap off one of these tough cookies?

Lag screws are made only of of SAE grade 2 #1018 mild steel, which as an approximate tensile strength of 50,000 to 60,000 PSI. That's why they break off even from attempts just to drive them into wood.

No I haven't, but then again, the holes on the dish mounting plate are much to small for the tapcons, and thus the installers end up using crappy washers. Yeah, I suppose that makes a good mounting choice, especially when they are in the mortar joints. You can quote your specs all day and night. The fact is, the heads on those things are too small for this application, and most dirtbags are installing them wrong on top of that. Specs don't mean jack if the product isn't properly installed. I'll take a lag shield/screw combo in the brick anyday over this type of junk:

 

[johnml]

Hilarious, indeed.

Tapcons are made of tough high carbon heat treated steel, that is at least 85,000 to 100,000 PSI tensile strength or more Ever try to snap off one of these tough cookies?

Lag screws are made only of of SAE grade 2 #1018 mild steel, which as an approximate tensile strength of 50,000 to 60,000 PSI. That's why they break off even from attempts just to drive them into wood.




The continuous high low section of the thread in Tapcons actually hold better in wood than cheap lag screws with only treads near the tip and smooth shanks.


I almost NEVER use lag screws. I prefer the hardened hex head fully threaded and hardened sheet metal screws, at least #14 or larger. Are sheet metal screws only meant for sheet metal?

Here I thought Tapcons were intended for concrete not wood - I dont care about the tensile strenght, When the installers use them to attach a dish to fascia board (thats maybe 1/2" thick) is ridiculous. They cant be as good as a bolt/washer/nut combo - Maybe easier for the tech, but not as good. plus my install with Tapcans split the wood on the bottom hole (my dish has been up with only the top screw holding it) and the tech left it like that ! Ive had mostly nightmares with the Mastec installs - Im no expert in satellite installs, but I know a rig job when I see one.

 

[HCI]

THATS THE MOST REDICULOUS THING I HAVE EVER HEARD!!ON A KA-KU UPGRADE YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THE OLD DISH,YOUR WHOLE SYSTEM RUNS OFF OF THE KA-KU DISH.DONT TELL ME THE TECH PUT THE KA -KU DISH NEXT TO YOUR ROOM W\ HD AND ONLY RAN THE WIRING TO THAT ROOM.ITS EASIER TO REPLACE THE DISH, ESPECIALY YOUR SYSTEM, WITH A TRIPPLE SAT DISH.THE KA KU DISH HAS THE SAME PRINCIPLES AS A OVAL 3 DISH.IF I WERE YOU I WOULD CALL D-TV AND HAVE THAT TECH GO BACK AND DO THE JOB PROPERLY!!

Removing old equipment is not part of an install or upgrade. Sometimes it is easier to take the old dish off and mount in the same location but removing the old dish is not included.

 

[Mike500]

No I haven't, but then again, the holes on the dish mounting plate are much to small for the tapcons, and thus the installers end up using crappy washers. Yeah, I suppose that makes a good mounting choice, especially when they are in the mortar joints. You can quote your specs all day and night. The fact is, the heads on those things are too small for this application, and most dirtbags are installing them wrong on top of that. Specs don't mean jack if the product isn't properly installed. I'll take a lag shield/screw combo in the brick anyday over this type of junk:

Blame the skill and his ability to choose the correct materials and methods. The Tapcon should NEVER be installed in the mortar joint, and the washer needs to match the diameter of the screw.

 

[Mike500]

Here I thought Tapcons were intended for concrete not wood - I dont care about the tensile strenght, When the installers use them to attach a dish to fascia board (thats maybe 1/2" thick) is ridiculous. They cant be as good as a bolt/washer/nut combo - Maybe easier for the tech, but not as good. plus my install with Tapcans split the wood on the bottom hole (my dish has been up with only the top screw holding it) and the tech left it like that ! Ive had mostly nightmares with the Mastec installs - Im no expert in satellite installs, but I know a rig job when I see one.

You're right. I'd NEVER mount to a 3/4" thick pine or cedar facia or rake board. On a facia, two three inch long hex drive #14 full threaded sheet metal pattern screws need to be driven into the rafter tails. Four more at least 1 inch long need to be driven into the corners of the mounting plates. I agree, that with open facias, through bolts with fender washers would be better. Try driving 1/4" x 3 inch lag screws with an impact driver their full length into wood. You'll twist off about 50% of them.

A standard mounting is on the rake board at the facia and at the lower end. Unless the thin board is backed up with a 1-1/2" thick rafter, I would not mount there.

 

[tech007]

I recently upgraded to the 5LNB from the 3LNB. The Installer was really nice and seemed to do a good job. At the end though he told me he left the 3LNB Dish on the house. He said taking the old dish down is a "custom installation" and costs an extra $50. Is that right? Was he telling me the truth?


If that is true, that is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. Now I have 2 dishes on my house and I have to do it myself.

I take down a dish if I am replacing it with a new one if it is on the same place or nearby. But sometimes I wont do it. For example: some homes would have 5 dishes from different companies and eras sitting on different corners of the roof. I wont remove all of them that is definitely a custom labor. But if I came to REPLACE a dish with a new one and my work order says "dish upgrade" then yes I will take old dish down because I am replacing it not adding another dish.

 

[Jimbo]

If the old dish hardware is penetrating the roof, you should be glad he did not try and remove it, they are not roofers, and chances are you would end up with leaks, it is my understanding, that a popular stance with most installation companies is to avoid that kind of scenario, telling the customer it will cost money usually does the trick, of course, he could have taken down the dish leaving the pole and mount in place, if for nothing else, just to be a nice guy.

In MY personal opinion, you are correct, they are NOT ROOFERS, therefore they should NOT be putting them on the roof in the first place...
They are not roofers, how are they sealing them up on the ones that they are placing on the roof, I suppose thats the home owners responsibility, but it should not be.

Jimbo