Maybe you’ve seen these before. The technical term is “non-penetrating roof mount.” They’re designed to let you mount satellite dishes or antennas when you can’t drill holes. (that’s the “non-penetrating” part.) The way they work is, the satellite dish or antenna is mounted to a regular mast and then the base is very wide, wide enough to let you pile a lot of weight onto it without busting through a roof or patio.
Many non-penetrating roof mounts are designed to hold cinder blocks, either four or eight. This works out because you can get the mount from somewhere like Solid Signal and you get the cinder blocks locally because they are very heavy and cost a lot to ship. Other mounts come with water jugs, which ends up being the same idea — get the light parts shipped to you and get the heavy parts locally. Water jugs are a good choice for areas with mild weather since they won’t freeze, but cinder blocks work well almost anywhere.
You’ll find these mounts on commercial buildings with large flat roofs. Even though every building is supposed to have good drainage, many don’t. Using this kind of mount means you don’t have to drill holes in the roof. And that in turn means that you aren’t risking having any sort of roof leaks. That’s something you always want to be confident about.
Non-penetrating roof mounts vs. tripods
Why not just use a tripod? A tripod is generally a more temporary solution. Without a lot of weight at the bottom, it’s just not going to hold up long term. On the other hand, non-penetrating roof mounts can be used for years and years. With the right amount of weight on them, they are just as stable as any other mount.
The hidden little secret
They call it a non-penetrating roof mount but the truth is it can be used almost anywhere. It’s commonly seen in apartment patios because the complex won’t let people drill holes, and it’s also found in mobile home parks where the house itself moves too much to let you attach a satellite dish or antenna. There are almost infinite uses for a non-penetrating roof mount. They don’t even need to be on level surfaces, although that’s where they do best; they can be used on slightly sloping roofs as long as the mount itself shows no signs of slipping down.
If you want, you can sink a non-penetrating mount into gravel, or into sand, or whatever it takes. I’ve even heard of people using a stud gun to permanently attach them to concrete. That sort of begs the question of whether they are still “non-penetrating,” but hey. We’re here to make sure you get what you need.
Non-penetrating roof mounts on the road
A non-penetrating roof mount is even a good idea for RVers, as they do actually fold up relatively small and you have the choice of either bringing cinder blocks with you, using local materials, or using the water jug method and filling them up when you stop. It’s a lot easier than setting up a tripod and then steadying it with sandbags or rocks.
The best part about non-penetrating roof mounts is that they come in shapes and sizes for nearly every application and you can find them all at Solid Signal. Looking for even more? Shop the great selection at Solid Signal, or call us to talk to a technician. We have staff in our East Coast corporate offices who are trained to answer your questions. Call us at 888-233-7563. If it’s after hours, fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you, usually within one business day.
