Sunday, November 29, 2015

Dangers of DIY Antenna Installation In Gold Coast

We are in a time where Australian commercial television is changing greatly. With the recent switch-off of all analogue signals, digital TV is the order of the day. For some, this has meant replacing old television sets and in some cases, roof antennas. This process can be straightforward for professionals, but DIY jobs can be quite dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.

While most antennas that operated with analogue signals won’t have any problem providing you with good quality digital television, there are many that won’t. If you’re replacing your old antenna and wondering whether to do the work yourself, consider the potential dangers that come with a DIY job.

Proximity to power lines


This is likely the greatest threat to your safety and has been responsible for many fatalities across the globe. Given that antennas are conductors of electricity, installing in the vicinity of power lines is extremely dangerous and quite frankly, should not be attempted by anyone without proper professional knowledge.

Electrical precautions


Messing around with electrical wires on top of a roof is as dangerous as it sounds if you don’t know what you’re doing. If you have any doubts whatsoever about your abilities to get this done, it’s a smart move to call up a pro. Faulting or damaged wiring can be fatal and if the home is quite old, we might even suggest getting an assessment from your power company before going to work. It just takes one mistake for your safety to be compromised. Always take proper precautions - don’t work on a wet or windy day, wear rubber shows and gloves and don’t use a metal ladder if you can help it.

Operating at a great height


Not all of us are as spry as we’d like to think we are. If you aren’t used to moving around on the roof of your home, it’s probably not something you want to do without having safety measures in place. It’s not uncommon at all to hear about people of all ages coming off their roofs and doing damage to themselves.

Professionals have all the gear to keep themselves safe and know the terrain a lot better than you! Especially when you’re going to be on your roof for quite some time and fiddling around with wires, it might not be worth the risk.

Requires technical knowledge


It isn’t easy to dismantle an old antenna and install a new one. If you’re going to get it done without professional help, research properly and plan out how you’re going to go about it.

The difference in quality of the signal between an antenna installed by a pro and an antenna installed DIY can be huge depending on the specific circumstances. - there are many things to consider including how much distance to and location of the television tower, large objects around the house including buildings and trees, etc. A professional antenna installer can ascertain the appropriate place on the roof to install the antenna and if amplifiers/boosters are required.

As you can see there’s plenty of upside that comes with having a professional antenna installer do the work, but it is possible to dismantle and install digital TV antennas with the proper planning. For the most part, we’d recommend getting in touch with an antenna installer on the Gold Coast if you think your system needs to be replaced. Likely it will end up saving you time, money and peace of mind. Contact Local Bloke Antenna today to get more information.