How to Remove an Old Satellite Dish

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Get rid of it.

When they are no longer in use, satellite dishes are nothing but an unsightly hindrance. For this reason, most people choose to remove old satellite dishes from their home after they get rid of their satellite cable. While you can pay the satellite company to come to your house and remove your dish, the process is simple enough that you may want to save a few bucks and try it yourself.

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Step 1

Climb to where the satellite dish is located. If it is on your roof and you are using a ladder, make sure the ladder is safely planted against the side of the house and someone is holding the ladder steady.

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Step 2

Remove the dish hook-up. There will be a wire connecting your dish to the inside of your house. Unscrew this connection before proceeding.

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Step 3

Remove the actual dish. To do this, use a wrench to separate the dish from the footplate where it is mounted. In most cases, there are two bolts that are used to keep the dish in place. Remove these and the dish will easily slide out.

Step 4

Remove the footplate. This is the hardest part of the process and may cause the most damage, since the plate is attached directly onto the roof. Many people choose to keep the plate in place instead of possibly damaging their roof. To remove the plate, unscrew the bolts that attach it to the roof. Once removed, you will need to pry the plate up off the roof with a crowbar or some other metal object.

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Step 5

Fill in your roof. Once you remove the footplate, there will possibly be some holes. Use silicon or tar to fill in your roof's holes and prevent possible leaking in the future.

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