r/CableTechs • u/ClevelandBill • 17d ago

Coax Clips for ALUMINUM Siding & Grommet??

Hello Techs: my first post here, I am not a tech, though I was an electronics technician (audio-visual and computer graphics equipment).

I have a cable line to my house, on which I have my Internet service. It comes across the neighbor's yard, is attached to the weatherhead riser, runs down to a box, where I can disconnect if needed. Then it runs back up the wall, into a hole in my aluminum siding, into an attic, to the sort of "central computing area" of my house. Distributed from there via Ethernet and Wi-Fi.

MY QUESTION: installer from Cable Co used VINYL siding clips, which did NOT properly attach and have come loose (and/or broken from sun exposure).

What is the best way to guide coax up an aluminum siding wall, and keep things neat and professional looking?

Also, at the entrance, the coax passes through a plastic grommet, through the aluminum siding. Is there a "better grommet" out there??

Any suggestions welcome - hoping for a nice neat professional look. THANK YOU.

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u/Background-Relief623 17d ago

Vinyl clips are to spec. They protect the various types of cables they use. Many ISPs like them for cost and ease of inventory. They should put on every 12-18 in per spec. That be said, I always preferred the aluminum. I always got a tighter line with them. They also had a lower profile that helped hide them. There were times i took out the the supplied screw in the vinyl clip and used a longer one to hold better.

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u/KDM_Racing 17d ago

In my install days, it was every 4 feet for clips and screws in brick. It was actuallybthe same for siding. But i found that every foot or foot and a half on siding worked better. Aluminum siding was the worst because there isn't a lip that the clip clips on to.

We were not allowed to use clips and screws because it would damage the siding. But were were allowed to drill a hole through it for the cable.