Do Rain & Humidity Affect TV Reception?

It’s frustrating to watch a show, and it suddenly cuts off just as it starts raining. It’s even more frustrating to know that no matter how stable or well our satellites are wired and aligned, bad weather can still get in the way of TV reception.

And if you live in some place known for having frequent rainfall and high humidity? Sputtering TV reception is a daily occurrence.

But why do rain and humidity affect TV reception? Does this mean that your TV has poor reception? And, is there a way to address the poor TV reception during bad weather?

Let’s find out!

Do Rain & Humidity Affect TV Reception?

Yes, rain, humidity, and other bad weather conditions such as snow and high winds can affect your TV’s reception.

It won’t matter if you’re watching free channels or paid channels. Bad weather can and most likely will affect your TV reception.

This is also true for digital TVs. While we don’t experience as many reception issues as analog TV days, digital TVs can still be affected by bad weather conditions.

A soft rain shower shouldn’t get in the way of you watching your favorite shows. So you can keep snuggling up in a fluffy blanket and sip some hot cocoa while it drizzles outside.

But a storm? Heavy rain? Hail? You best expect to experience some signal loss from time to time!

Why Do Rain and Humidity Affect TV Reception?

Now, you’re probably wondering how and why rain and humidity affect your TV reception. After all, the rainwater is not getting inside your home and directly coming into contact with your TV, right?

You’re right. The water won’t physically contact your TV and mess up its reception. However, it can affect the signal your TV receives.

You see, fine raindrops can absorb some of the power from the signal being fed into your satellite. These raindrops can dissipate the signal, causing TV interference.

A great example would be a single beam of light passing through a diamond or faceted stone. It breaks the beam into smaller fragments that bounce in many different directions.

Instead of the signal passing straight to your TV, the droplets will cause this signal to scatter. This will result in your screen suddenly going blank, and you won’t be able to see anything playing on your TV.

But does this mean your TV’s signal reception is slow? It’s the opposite. The higher the frequency in your satellite, the bigger effect on signal reception.

Heavy rain, strong winds, and other forms of bad weather can also disconnect you, or even damage your wirings.

What Else Causes TV Signal Strength to Fluctuate?

Aside from bad weather, what are other causes for a bad TV signal? There could be many other reasons you have bad TV reception, and most of them don’t even have anything to do with the weather itself.

Let’s take a look:

Signal Interference

• Your household electronics can also cause reception issues. This is due to the digital “noise” they make when powered on.
• Electronics like your microwave, air conditioners, washing machine, and devices like your phone can all get in the way of your TV’s ability to receive and translate digital signals.
• What you can do here is to move your TV farther away from any electronics causing the bad reception. You should also check if your satellite or aerial is mounted close to your AC unit. If it is, try relocating them farther away.

Hardware Issues

• Another cause is hardware issues. This could mean that certain wires and plugs in your TV and satellite set-up are loose or defective.
• Check for disconnected, bent, or damaged cables. If you could determine that your cables are damaged or disconnected, it’s only a matter of replacing or reconnecting them.

Satellite and Aerial Obstruction

• Because your satellite dish and aerials receive digital signals from the satellites roaming in space, getting obstructed by trees, buildings, plastic bags, and other debris can get in the way of signal transmission.

Just Poor Reception

• If you have clear weather, nothing is obstructing your satellite and aerials, and you don’t have any damaged connections, then the problem may lie in poor reception.
• You will have to check your area’s coverage online or contact your local aerial installer.

While there are many other causes for your poor TV reception, there are still things you can do to fix them.

If that’s something you want to learn more about, then stick around!

Quick Solutions for Poor TV Reception Due to Bad Weather

We mentioned that experiencing some trouble with your TV’s reception during heavy rain or high humidity is practically unavoidable, and that’s true. You can’t really escape the weather.

So what can you do to minimize the issues with your TV’s reception?

Here are a few ways:

Tip #1: Fix Your Satellite Dish Placement

We don’t usually think twice about where we install our satellite dishes. After all, it’s enough to screw it securely to the side of the wall, right?

Not exactly.

Certain locations such as under the eave of your home or near trees and leaves can play a role in your bad TV reception. You see, these areas tend to drip a lot of water.

And water is one of the worst enemies of TV signals!

So, try relocating your satellite dish somewhere drier.

You can also try mounting fiberglass in front of your dish to keep water from messing with the signal transmission.

Tip #2: Get a Pre-Amplifier

If you have multiple TVs at home that use the same antenna, a signal splitter might be able to help you with your TV reception issues.

Having multiple TVs without the proper splitter will mean that each unit’s signal is too weak to produce smooth and clear content.

A pre-amplifier can help boost your signal and reduce the TV reception problems you are experiencing.

Tip #3: Invest in Better Aerial Antennas

Just because an antenna says “aerial” doesn’t mean it can receive strong digital frequencies. Many customers make the mistake of getting the first “aerial” antenna they lay their eyes on, only to discover that it cannot handle strong frequencies.

So, how do you know if you need an aerial upgrade? You can give your local cable technicians a call so they can check your unit.

They can also be a great source for advice if you’re planning on relocating your satellite dish, getting a new TV, or doing some major home renovations that may affect your TV’s ability to receive signals.

Tip #4: Change Your Wiring

Another common cause of bad TV reception is loose or disconnected wiring. Factors such as strong winds, heavy rain, hail, or simply the length of time in between maintenance can cause your wirings to get damaged or loosen up.

Before you start looking for a new satellite or a new spot to move your satellite dish to, make sure to check if the wirings are still properly connected.

You can try disconnecting and reconnecting the cables attached to your TV and satellite to see if that helps improve your reception issues. Many professionals use this form of “hard reset” before they start doing major repairs.

Conclusion

So, does rain and humidity affect TV reception? Yes, they do. This is partly due to the moisture that causes digital signals to break apart instead of going in one direction toward the TV’s satellite/antenna.

While unavoidable, there are some things you can do to lessen the chances of bad weather affecting your TV reception. Checking your wiring, fixing your satellite dish’s placement, upgrading to a better aerial antenna, and getting a pre-amplifier are some of our best suggestions.

As always, if you are unsure about what exactly is wrong with your TV or satellite, make sure to give your local cable technicians a call. DIY-ing complicated wiring without the needed know-how can only lead to damage.

We hope each tip can help your TV reception issues. If you have your own tips and tricks, feel free to post them in the comments section below. Let’s start a conversation. Thanks for reading!