TV aerial repairs across Chelmsford
Most of the TV aerials on Chelmsford’s rooftops went up around the digital switchover in 2011, and many are older than that. Fifteen years of wind, rain and summer sun take their toll: connectors corrode, cable sheathing cracks, brackets work loose and aerials drift a few degrees off their line to Sudbury. The picture rarely dies all at once. It breaks up in the evening, freezes when it rains, or loses a handful of channels after a retune.
The good news is that most of these faults are repairs, not replacements. We test the signal at the TV, at the wall socket, at the amplifier and at the aerial itself, so we can see exactly where it drops away. Then we fix that part, whether it’s a single connector in the loft or a bracket on the chimney, and show you the readings before we leave.
Fault finder
What’s wrong with your picture?
Pick the closest match to see what usually causes it, what to try first, and how we’d fix it.
TV aerial faults we fix in Chelmsford
Storm and wind damage
Exposed roofs on the edge of the city, from Broomfield out to Boreham, take the brunt of winter gales. We straighten or replace bent aerials, refit loose brackets and lashing, and make a leaning mast safe.
Water in the cable or connectors
The single most common fault we find. Water gets into a cracked cable or an unsealed joint and the picture breaks up, often worst in wet weather. We cut back to clean cable, fit sealed connectors and weatherproof the joint.
TV aerial knocked off its line
Even a few degrees off Sudbury is enough to lose channels. We realign the aerial with a meter, not by eye, and tighten the clamps so it stays put.
Failed amplifiers and splitters
If every TV in the house lost its picture at once, the loft amplifier or its power supply is a prime suspect. We test it, replace it if it has failed, and check it isn’t over-amplifying a strong signal.
Missing channels and 4G/5G interference
Channels missing after a retune usually point to an old narrow-band aerial or a weak multiplex. Breaking up at busy times of day points to mobile mast interference, which a small filter at the aerial or amplifier fixes.
Sockets, fly leads and single rooms
When it’s only one TV, the fault is usually close to it: a damaged fly lead, a loose wall socket or the cable to that room. A quick test tells us which, and it’s often sorted in under an hour.
Repair or replace?
We repair whenever a repair will last. A TV aerial is worth replacing when its elements have gone brittle or corroded, when it was built for a narrow group of channels that no longer covers all of Freeview, or when the bracket and mast need replacing anyway and the aerial is near the end of its life. In those cases we’ll show you the readings and explain why, so you can decide.
Drag the signal on the TV below to see what each level of fault looks like, and what usually causes it in Chelmsford.
Storm damage and making it safe
A dangling TV aerial or a mast leaning over the gutter is a hazard to you and anyone walking below. If one has come down in a storm, keep clear and ring us: we’ll make it safe first, then repair or replace it. Many home insurance policies cover storm damage to aerials, so ask us for a written note of what we found to support your claim.
Areas we cover in and around Chelmsford
Aerial repairs anywhere in the city and the surrounding villages, including call-outs to homes we didn’t originally fit.
City and suburbs
- Moulsham
- Springfield
- Chelmer Village
- Great Baddow
- Galleywood
- Broomfield
- Writtle
- Beaulieu
- The Channels
- Melbourne
- Widford
- Old Moulsham
Villages nearby
- Boreham
- Danbury
- Little Baddow
- Little Waltham
- Great Leighs
- Hatfield Peverel
- Stock
- Margaretting
- Rettendon
- Bicknacre
- East Hanningfield
- Good Easter
- Roxwell
- South Woodham Ferrers
Nearby towns we also cover
Chelmsford questions
My TV says ‘no signal’ on every set. What’s likely to be wrong?
If every TV lost its picture at the same time, the most likely causes are a failed loft amplifier or its power supply, a damaged main cable, or an aerial brought down by the wind. Check the amplifier is plugged in and its light is on, then call us.
Why does my picture break up when it rains in Chelmsford?
Almost always water in a cable or connector. Rain gets into a cracked sheath or an unsealed joint and the signal drops until it dries out. Sealing or replacing that section of cable cures it.
Do I need a new TV aerial or can mine be repaired?
Most faults are repairs: a connector, a section of cable, an amplifier or a realignment. We only recommend a new aerial when the old one is corroded, too narrow-band for today’s channels, or beyond saving after storm damage.
Will you repair a TV aerial someone else fitted?
Yes. We repair aerials, cables and amplifiers whoever installed them.
Can you help with an insurance claim after storm damage?
We can give you a written note of what we found and what we repaired or replaced, which most insurers will ask for. Check your policy to see whether aerials are covered.