[430970]

So my Dish is installed in the middle of my roof (2nd story) which is really the only place to get a clear signal. I live in a neighborhood with neighbors very close to me, so toward the edge of the roof or on the side of the house, and it's blocked. There are also very large trees, so you can't install it on the side of the house. And my nicely home-run wires that go straight into the utility room from where the dish is on the roof are apparently totally useless.

The dish is where it was installed by DirecTV in 2002, and then upgraded in 2008. I didn't install it myself. But now that they've switched to in-house installers, they can't get off their ladders anymore. So my planned whole-home upgrade that requires a SWM-dish upgrade is no-go. They can't even service my existing dish to re-align it and install an SWM-8. Gonna have to call up, get a refund on what they've already charged me, and cancel my service.

So, after 11 years with DirecTV and 15 on Satellite, I'm going back to cable.

What a lame-ass rule, frankly. My roof isn't that steep, I've been on it numerous times, and there's easy access to where they need to go from a ladder on my deck (basically 1 story up). I have plenty of other contractors who manage to get on the roof just fine (gutter repair folks, for example, who just harness up).

Based on this, I'm also going to stop recommending DirecTV to other friends in my neighborhood, as they'll likely run into the same rules/issues as i did.

Sorry, I'm just venting here. I'm sure a bunch of installers will pop up and say good riddance, but whatever. I gave both installers the opportunity to suggest something else, but they had nothing.

 

[Davenlr]

If you really want to stay with DirecTv, you could contact them and see if they will credit your account to hire a private installer to upgrade the dish, and let the DirecTv installers do the rest.

 

[WestDC]

Have you checked with a retailer in your area? They will get the job done.

 

[430970]

The guy even claimed they were getting trained in the next quarter or so on how to properly walk on roofs safely - which means they know the "don't get off ladder" rule is unworkable for places like Seattle.

So basically it's become my problem that DirecTV replaced one flawed (?) system of contractors with a differently flawed system (in-house employees with rules that restrict required work).

Ugh. I will try calling DirecTV to see if they have any solutions. Otherwise, it's off to cable, and either their sh***y boxes or buying a Tivo.

 

[trh]

OSHA made the rules, not DirecTV. They are just enforcing them because of worker comp claims, law suits and fines from the federal government. And 'just harness up' isn't in compliance with the laws. They have to be anchored off to an approved device. Do you have one already installed on your roof? And then there has to be a trained competent person to monitor the worker on the roof (so now we're talking 2 people instead of 1).

DirecTV made the decision not to go through all this.

No way to install the dish on a pole further away from the house to get the LOS?

But there probably is a third-party local installer that will do this. But anytime you need an upgrade or alignment, you'll have to go through them instead of DirecTV.

 

[Davenlr]

What OSHA rule are you referring to? If there was such a rule, no one would have shingles on their roof unless roofers are exempt.

 

[trh]

Its call Fall Protection and up until just recently, there were a number of residential construction areas that were exempt (e.g. framers and roofers). But not anymore.

The new directive states that workers engaged in residential construction six feet or more above lower levels must be protected by conventional fall protections such as guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems unless the employer can demonstrate that such fall protection is infeasible or presents a greater hazard. In those cases, the employer may implement a fall protection plan that meets other requirements.

 

[Davenlr]

Looks like Ill be shingling my own roof now too

 

[trh]

This Link has some more information as does the NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) web site.

 

[430970]

Unfortunately in my situation there's no reasonable way to pole mount - it'd be worse line of site unless you're talking 25 ft pole off the deck. The 2nd floor of my house, specifically the roof, is the only feasible situation, which I'm sure is why it's been there since DirecTV installed it in 2002, and upgraded it in 2008.

Given that multiple people at DirecTV, incl. the supervisor, told me that they'd be "solving" this by getting people trained (in the next 3 months) I doubt the rules are so onerous that they can't be solved with some simple safety gear and training. And moreover, DirecTV wouldn't be making any changes, imho, if they weren't running into multiple situations like mine, where the "don't leave the ladder" rule is clearly unworkable and they're losing customers. Unless those folks were simply lying to me?

And the best they offered was a $50 credit, which won't cover the $150-300 for the install I'll surely have to pay a 3rd party - and as you mentioned, I'm on my own for alignments, etc. Forget it. 11 years of DirecTV and 15 years of Satellite, including 2 installs at this location (in the exact same location) - but this is it.

So I gave up and went to Comcast. Free install, $250 credit, same monthly price, 5x faster internet. Yeah, the DVR won't be as good, but otherwise it's comparable in channel line-up and features.

 

[spartanstew]

If they keep enforcing that "rule", there'll be nobody in my town (or any of the nearby towns) with D*, including me.

All 2 story homes with dishes on the roof.

 

[west99999]

Most dishes go on the roof and that is not the problem as long as the ladder can be leaned against the house and the tech can access the dish without getting off the ladder. In most cases this is not a problem if the dish is put on the over hang. If the dish has a LOS from the middle of the roof then 90% of the time it can go on the overhang and also get a LOS.

 

[spartanstew]

Most dishes go on the roof and that is not the problem as long as the ladder can be leaned against the house and the tech can access the dish without getting off the ladder.

It's very rare to see a dish in my area that is accessible without getting off of the ladder. Mine, for example, is in about the middle of the roof, near the chimney.

 

[west99999]

Just because is in the middle of the roof does not mean it would not have worked on the over hang. Not saying it would either but in the majority of cases it does not need to go in the middle of the roof and can easily be put elsewhere.

 

[spartanstew]

Yes, I guess it would work there, but I would think most (including me) don't want the dish to be that obvious, which is why most around here are near the middle of the roof and usually partially blocked by the chimney or other.

On a side note, it seems much more dangerous to be working from a ladder as opposed to working on a roof.

 

[trh]

I doubt the rules are so onerous that they can't be solved with some simple safety gear and training.

And the best they offered was a $50 credit, which won't cover the $150-300 for the install I'll surely have to pay a 3rd party

My recommendation would have been to call around this week and find an installer that can/will work on the roof. Get their price for your work and then call Retention at DirecTV and tell them your situation. If it was $150-300 for the install, they might have been able to credit you that amount. Retention seems to have a lot more leeway in what they can offer/discount; but you'd need an actual number to talk with them.

 

[ub1934]

When i went to HD & a SL 5 the HSP for D moved my dish from the side of my house to the roof about 4' from the overhang , he said it was more safe to work standing on the roof then on a ladder so am i now out of luck on getting my dish re aligned ? HR 21-100 & HR22-100 telling me to call D for a re alignment .

 

[trh]

On a side note, it seems much more dangerous to be working from a ladder as opposed to working on a roof.

It may seem that way, but the statistics clearly show that falls from roofs are more prevalent (and deadly) than falls from ladders. OSHA had an exemption for roofers and framers in residential construction, but they rescinded that last year because of the numbers of deaths.

 

[CurtP]

Is this something new? I had an installer on the roof just a few months ago.

 

[carl6]

jcricket - sent you a PM.