Satellite dish or old antenna mount still up there

Every mounting bracket is a set of holes in the roof. If the dish isn’t in use, have it removed and the holes properly sealed during any other roof work. It costs almost nothing.

Quick answerEvery dish or antenna bracket is held down with several screws or lag bolts, and each one is a penetration through the shingle and deck. Sealant around them dries out over time. If the dish is not in use, having it removed and the holes properly sealed during any other roof work costs almost nothing. You can plan this yourself, no call needed.

An unused dish does nothing for you, but its fasteners keep aging. Taking it down on your schedule beats finding out about it from a ceiling stain.

This is most common in homes built roughly 1940 to 1980. Post-war and mid-century — copper supply, aging cast iron stacks, 60 to 100 amp panels, first-generation central air.

A satellite dish sitting on top of a roof — A satellite dish on a roof. Every bolt holding a mount is a hole through the shingles. Photo by maks_d on Unsplash.

1Why old mounts cause leaks

Several holes per bracket. A single mount can mean four or more fasteners through the roof.
Sealant ages. The dab of sealant under the foot cracks and lets water follow the screw into the deck.
Wind load. A dish catches wind. Over years that movement loosens the fasteners and widens the holes.
Cable runs. Cable clips and holes through the wall or fascia add more places for water to get in.

2How to check it

Find out who owns itSome dishes belong to the service provider. If you still have an account, ask them how they handle removal.
Look at the mount from the groundUse binoculars. Check for rust, a leaning mast or a foot that has lifted off the shingles.
Check the attic below itLook for staining or wet wood around the screw tips that come through the deck.
Trace the cableNote where it enters the house so that hole gets sealed too.

Roof and ladder safety

Removing a dish means working on the roof with a heavy, awkward object. If the mount is on a steep slope or a second storey, don’t do it yourself. Never work at the roof edge alone.

3Removing it and sealing the holes

Do it yourself

Single-storey, low-slope roof and you are comfortable up there
Remove the dish and bracket, then fill each hole with roofing sealant
Slip sealant under the shingle tab as well, not just on top
Seal the cable entry hole in the wall

Hire a pro

Steep or high roof
Shingles under the mount are cracked or torn
The deck below is soft or stained
You have other roof work planned anyway

The easiest time is during other roof work. A roofer already on the roof can pull the mount and replace the damaged shingles under it for very little added cost. If a reroof is coming, ask for it to be included in writing.

4What drives the cost

On its own, the cost depends on roof height and pitch, how many shingles under the mount need replacing, and whether the deck has any water damage. Bundled with other work, it is usually a small add-on.

Roofing cost

5Questions

Can I just leave the bracket and remove the dish?

The bracket is where the holes are, so leaving it changes little. Remove the bracket and seal the holes.

Is caulk on top of the holes enough?

Fill the holes and get sealant under the shingle above them. A blob on the surface alone tends to crack and let water in.

Should a new dish go on the roof?

If you need one, ask about a wall or pole mount instead. It keeps holes out of the roof entirely.

Written by Jaylan Jones. I Like To Exterior Services earns a referral fee when a call connects to a contractor. See our business-model disclosure.