It can be one of the worst feelings in the world. You’ve just moved into a new home, started unpacking, glanced at your cell phone… and you don’t have any reception. Phones are a huge part of modern life, and we’ve come to expect and rely on good cell reception wherever we go. When you can’t get a signal in your own home, it can be stressful, and a problem you’ll want to resolve as soon as possible. But what causes it, and how can you fix it?
Do metal roofs cause bad cell reception?
Many people ask if a metal roof could be the cause of their poor cell phone reception at home. Well, the short answer is no, it isn’t! There is no evidence that a metal roof disrupts the signal for your phone any more than another material. If you think about it, this makes sense. After all, do you lose reception every time you go into a mall, or a restaurant, or when you work in an office or warehouse? All these locations often have metal roofs and you see no effect – why should a metal roof on your home be any different?
What are the benefits of metal roofs?
Quite the opposite to causing poor cell phone reception, there are actually a number of great benefits to installing a metal roof for your home. It can stand up to the worst that nature throws at it, from storms to drought to snow, meaning that it can last a very long time without repair – in fact, most metal roofing has an estimated lifespan of 40-70 years. In turn, this makes it a hugely cost-effective option to protect your home, alongside being fireproof and lightweight enough that it will have no effect on the rest of the structure. Plus, it definitely won’t affect your phone signal!
Why am I getting bad cell reception?
There could be a number of reasons why you’re experiencing poor cell reception at home. One key factor is the landscape. If your home is nestled in a deep valley, or even surrounded by tall buildings, this could affect your service – this is because these features are cutting off the ‘line of sight’ between you and the nearest cell phone tower. Another reason is to do with the building materials of your home, and more accurately their thickness. Common construction materials including brick, wood, cement, metal, and energy-saving windows, can impede signals – it is the accumulation of these materials that could be the cause, rather than a single material or item.
How can I improve my cell phone reception at home?
There are several ways you can improve your reception, short of knocking down the walls or moving house! You can use a cell phone booster to help the signal, which works best if it is placed somewhere with good reception, such as a windowsill or on a higher level within the house. Gadgets like a Femtocell can also take advantage of your wifi by plugging into the router and creating a ‘mini cell tower’ within your home that can then use the internet connection to communicate with the wider world.