To use an antenna, it is important to know what type of building materials were used in your home’s construction.  Some building materials can interfere with reception.  If you are experiencing reception problems take a look at the type of home you live in. A metal sided home, homes with foil faced insulation, homes with metal awnings, roofs with metal heat shields or roofs made of metal, windows with bars, metal fire escape, stucco (metal mesh is used to hold the plaster to the walls). All these things can cause signal disruption. 

 

  • Metal, Stucco and Aluminum siding homes: You can try placing the antenna in a window (that has no metal awnings or metal window screens) and you may potentially have success with reception.

 

  • Try to get the antenna in a window to avoid the block. Since our antennas are multidirectional, they will still experience some reception issues. 

 

  • Metal Heat Shields/ Foil faced insulation/Radiant Barriers/Metal Roofs: Heat Shields/radiant barriers are installed in the attic to help insulate the home. These are typically found more in cold climates. If you have a metal heat shield/radiant barrier an antenna would not work in the attic and a roof or window antenna would be needed.  Same applies to a metal or tin roof.

 

  • Bars, Fire Escape and Metal Screens: While these three things keep you safe from burglars, fire, and bugs they wreak havoc on transmitted signals. You either must get above these types of items by going higher or you would have to place the antenna in a window where there is no metal present.

 

These types of materials refract or bend transmitted signals making the antenna not able to receive them.  The best building construction for indoor digital TV reception is wood, brick or vinyl siding or placement in a window.

 

There are some homes where the antenna must be placed in or near a window because there may be too much metal surrounding it if it is placed on an interior wall. Some examples include:

  • Mobile homes
  • Homes with aluminum siding
  • Homes with stucco siding (metal mesh is used to attach the stucco to the house)
  • Homes with tin roofs
  • Apartment buildings or condos in large metro areas
  • RVs or Travel Trailers