Flat Roof Dish Install

[Ferrino]

Was scheduled to have my DirecTV installed today (HD Plus DVR Package; new customer) but the installer said he didn't have the necessary equipment to install it on the flat roof on my apartment building. He said it would require a "pin-mount" or something, and that it would cost an additional $60 to the free standard installation. I said that I wasn't expecting to pay for installation fees (I did not think a flat roof was a problem) and he then suggested he might be able to do it for $20 after speaking to his supervisor.

I am scheduled for re-installation on Tuesday and was wondering if this sounds right, please? I'm hoping to get a different installer...

Thanks for your advice.

 

[iwc5893]

What he was most like referring to is a non-pen (non-penetrating Winegard DS5046 Non-Penetrating Roof Mount (DS-5046) | DS-5046 [Winegard] | DS5046 Non-penetrating Roof Mount for 18" 24" antennas ds 5046) roof mount. They are NOT part of the standard installation, and you will have to pay extra for it.

Installers are generally not allowed to use standard mounting techniques on flat roofs because of the possibility of leaks.

 

[Ferrino]

Thankyou for that. So does $60 sound reasonable? I guess they have to put ballast up there too - do they literally plonk concrete blocks on top of it?

 

[Joe Diamond]

Thankyou for that. So does $60 sound reasonable? I guess they have to put ballast up there too - do they literally plonk concrete blocks on top of it?

Plonk is what they do!

The mount disassembles and can be pulled up onto the roof in pieces. Then weight is plonked onto it. The end result is a vertical mast for the dish that won't blow around without puncturing the roof membrane.

There is also the issue of cable running across and down the building and into your unit.
They are supposed to be grounded but the list of grounds on a roof is short.

IF the roof needs repairs YOU should unplonk the weight and remove the mount first.

The plus side is that many units can use the same dish and if you move...and take it with you.......you have a portable mount for tailgate parties, camping and living under bridges.

Sixty dollars is the low average. The mount is around twenty bucks.......labor and other materials plus the heightened risk of service calls take up the rest.

Joe

 

[Ferrino]

Thankyou. One more question - I am scheduled for installation on Tuesday and am told that a different installer will be coming. Should I try to contact them beforehand and let them know that I will specifically need a non-penetrating mount? My fear is that I will get rescheduled yet again if the next guy also doesn't carry these mounts in his truck...

 

[iwc5893]

Thankyou. One more question - I am scheduled for installation on Tuesday and am told that a different installer will be coming. Should I try to contact them beforehand and let them know that I will specifically need a non-penetrating mount? My fear is that I will get rescheduled yet again if the next guy also doesn't carry these mounts in his truck...

Yeah, it wouldn't hurt to contact the company to make sure they know you have a flat roof and will require a non-pen ... just in case the original tech forgot to note the account.

 

[talos4]

I wish I had a better photo here at home, but you should get the idea of what will be installed.

I have better photos on my work PC.

 

[Ferrino]

Thanks for the advice - I will try to give them a heads-up on the non-pen mount.

And thanks for the photo too!

 

[Joe Diamond]

Thanks for the advice - I will try to give them a heads-up on the non-pen mount.

And thanks for the photo too!

Report back how it goes.

Especially........ask the tech if there is any mention of your request for the non-pen mount on the Work Order (WO). Some techs carry a spare and some installation companies only load them when the WO states one is needed (but the info doesn't get to them often).

Always fun.

Joe

 

[Ferrino]

Report back how it goes.

Tech has just left and I am up and running! It's a good job I phoned DirecTV yesterday because he got the message and brought a non-pen mount with him. He used 6 concrete breeze-blocks as ballast and placed it all on a black plastic sheet.

Question: does the non-pen setup mean I should consider the DirecTV protection plan more seriously? I don't have a ladder with which to access the dish myself, so any tweaks (due to wind/whatever) would require a tech...

Thanks for your advice people!

 

[chadzx11]

Tech has just left and I am up and running! It's a good job I phoned DirecTV yesterday because he got the message and brought a non-pen mount with him. He used 6 concrete breeze-blocks as ballast and placed it all on a black plastic sheet.

Question: does the non-pen setup mean I should consider the DirecTV protection plan more seriously? I don't have a ladder with which to access the dish myself, so any tweaks (due to wind/whatever) would require a tech...

Thanks for your advice people!

It shouldn't move around as long as he didn't do this:

LOL. And yes, that one moves around. I got us a pallet off the tire truck and put it out back, but some ghetto jackass stole it before I could take it up on the roof and put the dish on it. Firestone doesn't want to pay for a proper install, so I was gonna do it as a favor to my boss, during down time (I work for firestone, and used to install--still certified!). Gotta love working in the ghetto. Can't leave anything unlocked.