Unless you can see an obvious fault with the aerial, it can be hard to know if your aerial is broken or faulty and needs replacing. It is likely you will need the help of TV specialist engineers, who can test your aerial with high-quality signal equipment.
If you are experiencing issues when watching your TV such as pixelated images, fuzzy reception or ‘no signal’ bouncing around the screen this is a sign that your aerial is faulty. The reason for this could vary from water damage, general wear and tear or obstructions. Water damage can be significantly fatal to the TV system; it could be that the cables were not properly weatherproofed, or damage from storms has seen leaking.
Another issue you may be experiencing is that your TV is missing channels. This can be a reception or signalling problem however it’s best to get it checked out because it could be an aerial antenna problem.
Furthermore, if your TV is missing specifically HD channels, your transmitter may be struggling to produce the quality needed to show the channel.
It is easy to forget about a device such as this, however, if your aerial is over ten years old, the reception and signal it provides will not be as clear as modern ones. It may be best to pre-empt any issues and upgrade.
Something you may not consider checking on is new builds or obstructions to your environment. If there have been new buildings, trees or large objects placed in the vicinity of your house it could be contributing to your signal. There are two ways to do this; you either try to reposition your current aerial or upgrade to get a better signal and start from scratch.
Another easy miss is physical damage. If you have had a recent storm, snow or strong winds an aerial’s wear and tear process will speed up. It is worth checking on the aerial for anything physically noticeable, and it does no harm to get it checked out if you are unsure!
If you are in any doubt, it is best to contact a professional as although it may not be a complete replacement, your aerial may still need fixing. Companies such as TV aerial repair Cheltenham steveunettaerials.co.uk/our-services/aerial-services/tv-aerial-repair/tv-aerial-repair-cheltenham will give you advice on the fixing and positioning of your aerial or even a quote for a new one!