# Bracing for satellite dish to a standing seam metal roof



## Lakesidex (Aug 14, 2012)

Hi all. I am a painter by trade and a member of Paint Talk.

I am trying to install a slim-line satellite dish from Direct TV to my Standing Seam metal roof. I plan on using S-5 non-penetrating clips attached to the Standing Seam, and then attaching Aluminum angle to the S-5 clips. 

My question is about the sizing of the aluminum angle. Is 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 1/8" beefy enough or should I go bigger. I plan on using 7 pieces 48" long: Three along the seams of the roof for good support and the other four bolted perpendicular into the three to form a grid. The dish will be mounted to the 2 middle horizontal braces.

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The pitch is 4/12 so I don't worry about snow. I live in CT.

Any practical advise is greatly appreciated!


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Sounds great but to be honest I've never used an S5 clip so I don't know how much the roof will flex when you try to twist it.

Your method seems like a whole heck of a lot of work. How about mounting to the side of the house on an extra long j-pole...or chimney...or on the roof overhang with lag screws and silicone?


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## Lakesidex (Aug 14, 2012)

Inner10 said:


> Your method seems like a whole heck of a lot of work. How about mounting to the side of the house on an extra long j-pole...or chimney...or on the roof overhang with lag screws and silicone?


Yea that would be the smart thing to do. I often make things harder than they have to be.

I just don't want to see the dish. Where I'm planning on mounting it, it will be behind a stone chimney and pretty much out of site from the ground.


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## Lakesidex (Aug 14, 2012)

Lakesidex said:


> My question is about the sizing of the aluminum angle. Is 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 1/8" beefy enough or should I go bigger. I plan on using 7 pieces 48" long: Three along the seams of the roof for good support and the other four bolted perpendicular into the three to form a grid. The dish will be mounted to the 2 middle horizontal braces.
> 
> -|-|-|-
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> ...


Funny I can't grid the angle aluminum because of the angle getting in the way. So I guess I will use heavier aluminum in a simpler fashion:

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That's why I paint..


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

Why not screw through metal right into the plywood/wood and seal screws.

I have a metal roof and that's what I would do.


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## Lakesidex (Aug 14, 2012)

Big Shoe said:


> Why not screw through metal right into the plywood/wood and seal screws.
> 
> I have a metal roof and that's what I would do.


Pretty sure that would void my warranty. Probably the best idea though. 

I am a little nervous about the wind stress pulling up on the standing seam and screwing down to the plywood would solve that issue. That's why I was thinking about a grid; spread the load out a little further. 

At this point I'm thinking about just using heavier aluminum angle. Two pieces of 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 1/4" 48" long. Enough to grab 3 seams. Then mounting straight to the angle.


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

That setup looks pretty cool. Try that route and just go up and check it after a while and see if anything has loosened up.

Good luck


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## Lakesidex (Aug 14, 2012)

Some quick pics..


Just need to attach 1 more bolt on the support leg.


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## catspaw (Oct 29, 2008)

you use a dish heater for the ice and snow? wouldn't like to climb that roof in winter.


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## Lakesidex (Aug 14, 2012)

catspaw said:


> you use a dish heater for the ice and snow? wouldn't like to climb that roof in winter.


No, no heaters up there. 

The pitch is only 4/12 so it's not very steep. The dish is mounted about 5 feet from the edge of the roof. It's a shed roof so the wires go right over the top and down. 

I've noticed that even in heavy snows, the very top of the roof seems to stay clear. 

I guess in a bad storm the snow could cover the dish for a while. The snow takes days to slowly slide of the roof. I plan on installing some snow guards this winter so if I do end up going up there I hopefully won't get caught in an avalanche!

The other side of the roof is only 10 feet off the ground.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Lakesidex said:


> Some quick pics..
> 
> 
> Just need to attach 1 more bolt on the support leg.


That looks really good, nicely done. :thumbsup:


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## Lakesidex (Aug 14, 2012)

Sorry Riley I am on the road at the moment driving down to Florida and having a hard time sending a PM. Hope this helps and you find it.

The mounts were S-5U mini’s and the aluminum angle I purchased online from Speedy Metals:

2 pieces - 1/4" {A} x 1-1/2" {B} x 1-1/2" {C} 48" Angle 6061-T6 Aluminum, Extruded $14.04 2 $28.08 

3 pieces - 1/8" {A} x 1-1/2" {B} x 1-1/2" {C} 48" Angle 6061-T6 Aluminum, Extruded $5.30 3 $15.90 

I am very happy with the mounts performance and it looks slick. I would highly recommend this to anyone in our situation. Good luck and I will try to answer any questions you have.

Keith


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## mako1 (Sep 1, 2013)

Very nice.I do several metal roofs and leave that chit up to the customer usually.Have never seen that nice of a mount.The satellite guys around here do it on install and usually just screw a bracket down and silicone.Butly tape if your lucky.


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## charlie828 (Feb 22, 2009)

Good looking install, Lakesidex. I see lots of installs with screws through roof and they almost always leak.


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## rustyjames (Aug 28, 2008)

Very nicely done :thumbsup:


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