Aerial cable wicking water onto roof pearlings

[Jacksdad]

Hi,
A rather unusual and relativelty minor issue this one.

My TV aerial cable runs accross the tiles on my roof then over the eaves and down the wall. Unfortunately when it rains it allows water to follow it down, missing the guttering and transfers alot of water onto the roof pearlings and eventualy onto the birckwork as well. Has anyone encountered this before and has anyone found a way to stop it? I have tried moving the cable to run over the gutter but this has had little/no effect.

Any ideas would be appreciated.
cheers, Nick

 

[Lime]

When coax is installed for an aerial, water run off from the cable is an important consideration.
In this instance I suggest either the cable is lowered into the gutter or raised above it in a loop so that rain water running down the cable drips off at the lowest point of the loop or bend.

 

[Jacksdad]

Thanks Lime,
Do you think the aerial guy should have known this- it was only installed in March. I have asked him to come and sort it but should I expect him to rectify it free of charge as part of the original job or is it just bad luck?

 

[Lime]

It is standard practise to allow for water running down the cable.
It should always be laid/installed so that water running along the coax will drip off so that the drips avoid structures that can be damaged by water.

 

[AMc]

They should also have added drip loops where the cable enters the building so that any water runs down the cable, past the entry point and falls off below rather than being carried inside. The loop is just the coax overrun a few inches, looped back on itself and tied or taped to create a loop.

When my inlaws moved we disconnected their rental TV and a cup full of water flowed out of the inside of the coax. I assume it had been worn through somewhere above and the water had accumulated between the core and the screen - glad it wasn't my telly.

 

[mr-squirrel]

He should come back and sort the water issue at the very least.

I would re-wire it with the cable run internally, external cables on show are a pet hate of mine. Throwing a cable over a roof is just plain lazy, you can normally sneak it in at the eaves or neatly under a flashing. Unless of course you don't own or can't access the floors above you.

I've seen co-ax full of water many times. Reminds me of one house which had feeds to each of the upstairs bedrooms run horizontally in the gutter before dropping to the rooms down the wall!

 

[Feltwell]

external cables on show are a pet hate of mine. Throwing a cable over a roof is just plain lazy

I agree. The first job I did here was to get rid of the co-ax cable that ran straight down the roof, over the gutter and just hung down all 3 storeys 6" or so from the wall - not clipped in place even once - before coming in through a hole drilled in a window frame!

If your reception is good enough then an aerial in the loft is a damn sight easier to fit and is kept nicely protected from the elements. I fitted mine in an eaves space of my roof, reception is fine but I am admittedly very close to a transmitter.

 

[philpjuk100]

We often queue for some traffic lights in a local village where someone has drilled a lower sash windowframe for a coax and left enough spare cable so the sash can still be used!