TV aerial repairs in Southwold
On the coast, TV aerials wear out from the outside in. Salt gets under the plastic caps, copper turns green inside the connectors, steel clamps rust, and a few winters of easterly wind loosen whatever was not done up tightly. Because Tacolneston is well inland, Southwold aerials have less signal to spare than those near the mast, so a small loss that would go unnoticed in Norwich can leave you with blocks and freezes here.
Most of these faults can be repaired. We check the signal at the TV, the wall plate, the amplifier and the aerial itself, which shows exactly where it is being lost. Then we fix that part, whether it is one green connector in the loft or a lashing on a seafront chimney, and show you the readings when we are done.
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.
Faults we fix in Southwold
Gale and storm damage
Exposed roofs on North Parade, East Cliff and the edge of Reydon take winds straight off the sea. We straighten or replace bent aerials, renew worn lashings and brackets, and make a leaning pole safe.
Water and salt in the cable
Damp and salt creep into cracked cable and unsealed plugs, and the picture breaks up, worst in wet or misty weather. We cut back to clean cable, fit sealed connectors and weatherproof each joint.
TV aerial knocked off its line
With Tacolneston about 26 miles away, a few degrees of drift is enough to lose a multiplex. We realign with a meter and tighten the clamps so the aerial holds its aim in the next blow.
Failed amplifiers and splitters
If every TV went blank together, check the loft amplifier first. We test it and its power supply, replace what has failed, and set the gain right for a weak coastal signal.
Missing channels and 4G/5G interference
Missing channels after a retune can mean an old narrow-band aerial, or a set that has latched onto the Aldeburgh relay, which carries fewer channels. Break-up at busy times points to mobile signals, cured with a filter.
Single rooms, sockets and fly leads
When only one TV is affected, the fault is usually near it: a worn fly lead, a loose wall plate or the cable to that room. A quick test shows which.
Repair or replace?
We repair first whenever the repair will hold. Near the sea, though, a TV aerial can reach the point where the elements are pitted, the boom is rusting through and the clamps crumble when touched. Fixing one part then only buys a few months. In that case we show you the readings and the corrosion, explain the choice, and fit a wideband replacement with coastal-grade fixings if you want one.
Move the slider on the TV below to see each level of fault and the usual cause for a Southwold home.
Corrosion and holiday homes
Many houses and cottages in Southwold and Walberswick are second homes or lets that sit empty for weeks. A fault can go unnoticed until the first guests of the season arrive and find nothing on the TV. If you manage a let, a quick check of the TV aerial, cable and amplifier before Easter is worthwhile. We look for rust, loose lashings and tired connectors, put right anything that is failing, and test every room so the set works when the keys are handed over. If an aerial has come down in a storm, keep clear of it and call us to make it safe first.
Areas we cover in and around Southwold
Aerial repairs anywhere in Southwold and Reydon and along this stretch of coast, whoever fitted the aerial in the first place.
Southwold and Reydon
- Market Place
- South Green
- Gun Hill
- East Cliff
- North Parade
- Victoria Street
- Constitution Hill
- Queen’s Road
- Blackshore harbour
- Reydon
- Easton Bavents
Villages nearby
- Walberswick
- Wangford
- Henham
- Wrentham
- Blythburgh
- Covehithe
- Frostenden
- Uggeshall
- Wenhaston
- Westhall
- Brampton
- Kessingland
- Holton
Nearby towns we also cover
Southwold questions
Why has my TV aerial gone rusty so quickly?
Salt in the air near the sea attacks ordinary plated steel, clamps and connectors. In Southwold an aerial a short walk from the beach can corrode in a few years. We replace corroded parts with sturdier fixings.
My TV lost channels but still shows BBC and ITV. What happened?
Your set may have tuned to the Aldeburgh relay, which carries only the public service channels, or an old narrow-band aerial may be missing some of Tacolneston’s multiplexes. A meter check and a retune show which.
Can you check the TV aerial on a holiday let before the season?
Yes. We inspect the aerial, cable and amplifier, fix anything that is failing and test every TV, so the place is ready for guests.
Will you repair a TV aerial another firm put up?
Yes. We repair aerials, cables and amplifiers whoever installed them.
The TV aerial blew down in a storm. What should I do?
Keep clear of it, don’t climb up, and call us. We will make it safe, then repair or replace it, and give you a written note of what we found if your insurer asks for one.