Screwing Antenna into Brick Chinmey - OK idea?

captouch

Addicted Member
I'm old school and don't get cable/satellite TV. I was using an old/big rooftop antenna, which had to come down for other reasons.

I bought a new smaller rooftop antenna that mounts via a bracket to a vertical surface. I *could* use the old long pole from my old antenna, but it would require mounting a new base on the roof and 3 new screwholes for eye brackets to secure the long pole with wires.

I'd prefer to screw the new bracket onto my brick chimney if it will be secure enough. The antenna isn't terribly heavy - maybe 10lbs max including the bracket.

Anyone have strong opinions on whether this is a bad idea - to screw into a brick chimney?
 
Screwing into brick will damage/destroy those bricks, should you ever take it down. It might be better to drill into the mortar rather than the bricks. It is far easier to repoint the mortar than to replace the bricks.
 
no need to drill anything if you use chimney antenna mounts .
chimney_mount_ronard.png
 
no need to drill anything if you use chimney antenna mounts .
chimney_mount_ronard.png

I took one of those off of my chimney. The strap/clamp materials had rusted and left rust streaks down the beige slump blocks. If they made them from a better grade of galvanized metal, or, stainless, it would be better.
 
I read the mortar might crumble if I tried to screw into those - it's just something I read, so don't know if that's true or not.

My attic is not very high - physically, it would fit, but to climb into the attic, route the coax cable, etc without knowing if the reception would be as good as outdoors gives me pause.

I like the idea of the antenna mount, esp if it won't rust. I'll take a look for those.
 
Go with the pictured chimney mount. Drilling, and fastening with anchors & screws probably won't be as sturdy.
 
I've drilled bricks before, they usually crumble. The mortar does too, and sometimes the screws will come out.
 
The other problem with drilling the bricks or mortar is that any antenna movement caused by the wind will quickly loosen the screws and/or anchors.
 
The problem with rust streaks on a chimney might seem trivial, until a house inspector suspects that the internal rebar structure has destroyed the chimney, and issues a failure for integrity.
It took a powerful tall bit of explanation, and showing him the traces were in bands around the chimney, and from an external source, and had nothing to do with the internal rebar structure rusting and expanding. (I'm a bit of a maintenance nut and actually regularly seal the mortar cap of my chimney to prevent water intrusion that causes this rebar failure; most people don't do this).
 
I read the mortar might crumble if I tried to screw into those - it's just something I read, so don't know if that's true or not.

My attic is not very high - physically, it would fit, but to climb into the attic, route the coax cable, etc without knowing if the reception would be as good as outdoors gives me pause.

I like the idea of the antenna mount, esp if it won't rust. I'll take a look for those.
If you are going to the trouble, go with a very good Yagi on a rotor.
 
If you are going to the trouble, go with a very good Yagi on a rotor.

I'm going to see how this simple setup does first. I really don't watch a ton of TV - use Netflix, Amazon video, Hulu, etc. The OTA TV is really mostly for the few sports events that are on (NBA finals, Superbowl, etc). If this doesn't cut it, I may reconsider, but based on my holding the antenna up manually in the right direction and at a lower height than the chimney, I should be OK even with the weaker stations.
 
Just make sure you evaluate your chimney honestly before attaching anything to it. Imagine your surprise when the thing comes crashing down when Ma Nature gets rowdy. Lost the top couple feet of my masonry block. That was with only a six foot mast, but admittedly quite a large rural type tv antenna.

Still got the old chimney section ... makes a great planter. <G>
 
I have the coax connected to a couple of receivers, but very very rarely listen to FM.

What's the best way to evaluate the strength of a chimney?
 
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