Satellite dish and antenna leaks start where a mount is lag-bolted through the shingles into the deck and sealed only with caulk or roofing cement. As that sealant ages it cracks, and water follows the bolts into the wood. The correct fix is to remove unused mounts and repair the shingles, or reinstall a needed mount on proper flashing that laps under the course above. This page is general information; your roofer makes the final call on your home. For panels, see our separate page on leaks under solar panels.
On this page: Signs · Causes · What to check · Repairs · Basis · When to call
Signs a mount is leaking
- A stain on the ceiling or wall below a dish, antenna or bracket.
- A leak that began after a dish was added, moved or removed.
- Shiny or rusty bolt tips poking through the deck in the attic, with dark wood around them.
- Thick blobs of sealant on the shingles around the mount, visible with binoculars.
- An old mount plate left behind after the dish itself was taken down.
Why mounts leak
- Bolts through the shingle face. Each bolt is a hole in the top layer with nothing lapped over it.
- No flashing. A mount set directly on the shingles has no metal base slid under the course above to shed water around it.
- Sealant as the only barrier. Cement and caulk crack and pull away as the roof heats and cools.
- Wind load. A dish acts like a sail. Every gust works the bolts and opens the seal a little more.
- Abandoned hardware. Mounts left after service ends are rarely checked again.
Ground and attic checks
- Look from the ground for dishes, antennas or brackets on the roof field rather than on a wall or fascia.
- Note any mount plate with no dish on it. That is an abandoned penetration.
- In the attic, standing on framing, look under the mount location for bolt tips, stains and soft or dark sheathing.
- Do not climb up to re-caulk it. A fall from a roof is far more costly than a leak.
How mounts get fixed
| Repair | When it fits |
|---|---|
| Remove the mount, fill the bolt holes, replace the damaged shingles and hand-seal the courses above | The dish or antenna is no longer used |
| Reinstall the mount on a flashed base that slides under the course above | The dish must stay on the roof |
| Relocate the dish to a wall, fascia or pole | Signal allows an off-roof location |
| Replace soft deck sheathing under the mount | Wood around the bolts is rotted |
Fixes that fail: another layer of sealant on the old bolts, reusing the same holes for a new mount, and face-nailing a patch shingle over the spot.
Code and industry basis
The 2024 IRC, section R903.2.1, requires flashing around roof openings, and every bolt hole is an opening. ARMA’s guidance on repairable roofs lists installing proper flashing around new roof penetrations among routine repairs, and says roofing cement is a temporary fix rather than a long-term repair. ARMA also recommends that only trained professionals walk or work on roofs.
When to call
Call when a stain appears below a mount, when you cancel satellite service, or before a reroof so the mount can be removed or reset properly. If the leak is near a vent instead, see roof vent leaks or pipe boot leaks. Our roof problems guide covers the rest.
Have us check the mount
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews. We photograph the mount from above and below and tell you whether it should come off, move or be flashed. Colorado Springs area: (719) 488-2800 or a free inspection. Denver metro: (303) 209-0152 or a free Denver inspection. Austin: (512) 610-5897 or a free Austin inspection. Same-business-day reply.
Sources: 2024 IRC Chapter 9, section R903.2.1 (UpCodes); ARMA, Asphalt Shingle Roofs Are Repairable.
