Having been a professional installer for as long as I have, I've seen a lot of bad installations by other technicians and have helped a good share of unhappy customers. Not by any fault of mine, but because of what the previous technician did or didn't do properly such as the following:
- My technician didn't install the dish properly and now my TV goes out every time the wind blows.
- My technician ran cable across the floor and I trip on it every time I walk satellite tv the room.
- My technician just left the cable on the ground or hanging off the side and it looks terrible.
- My technician drilled holes where I didn't want and damaged my house.
- My technician drilled a hole and ran a cable through my wall and didn't even install a wall plate.My technician installed the dish on my roof and didn't seal it properly and now it leaks and I have ceiling damage.
I've known a lot of technicians and for the most part, they are professional in the way they do their jobs but I've also seen the lazy, incompetent ones that ruin it for the rest of us. Although they don't last long and are quickly fired often times the damage is already done!
At the end of each install when its time to sign the paperwork, the customer releases the technician and approves all work done during the installation. Unfortunately not everyone knows what to look out for and sometimes gets cheated out of a professional job. Before you sign up for satellite service, here are a few generic things you should expect regarding your free satellite installation.
SECTION 1 - OUTDOOR INSTALLATION
1.The dish should only be put on the roof if there is no other place to put it. The ideal location for a dish is going to be on the side of the house or a solid post.It will be better sheltered against the wind and snow, more easily accessible and it will not require roof penetration.The dish can be put on the roof safely but must be sealed properly!About a third of the installs I go to where there is already a dish mounted on the roof has been installed improperly and the mounting screws have come loose due to weathering.
2.You should expect your dish system to be grounded according to local and NEC codes. If your dish is not properly grounded contact the company that did your installation or your satellite provider.
3.All outside wiring and hardware should be fastened securely to the wall. All cabling should be secured with screw/nail clips and should not droop.
4.All wall penetrations should be sealed and cabling installed with drip loops. Cable coming from a wall on the outside should point downward first to keep water from dripping into the hole.
5.All outdoor connections should be tight and weatherproof. Failure to keep all outdoor fittings weatherproof will all water intrusion into the fittings and rust out your cable center conductor.If this happens, you will lose your signal.
SECTION 2 - INDOOR INSTALLATION
1.All wall penetrations should have a wall plate. Some installers just run cable straight into the house through the wall and straight into the receiver.For some that might be okay but if you don't have lines pre-installed in your home you should expect to have a wall plate installed for every line ran.
2.Cable satellite tv should be installed where you would like to have your TV. It may not be possible in every circumstance to follow this rule but putting a wall outlet where you don't want it and then running extra cable on the inside to where your TV is, just because it would be easier on the technician, shouldn't happen. Cable should never run across the floor or doorway.This is YOUR house not his and you are the boss.
If you are not happy with your installation, don't sign the work order. Your technician should be happy to work with you until you are completely satisfied.It's better to get it done the way you want it now than to have him come back later. It wastes your time and his.
For more information on satellite installation or troubleshooting: http://www.SatPro.us has a comprehensive manual for satellite dish troubleshooting and installation including photos, descriptions of dish parts and components, receivers, and installation diagrams for all systems. It explains step-by-step, how to setup a Dish system and perform a professional installation. They also have a Troubleshooting guide that takes you through all the steps to take if your system ever goes down and how to fix it. To make it even easier they also have videos on how to point your dish if it ever gets knocked out of alignment or you are installing a dish from scratch. You can also read more satellite installation and repair related articles there in the Articles section.
Andrew Cameron is a Professional Satellite Technician with over 6 years of install and repair experience for Dish Network and DirecTV.
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