We've all been there in front of a customer, talking about options available to them on installation. When the discussion turns to which receiver they want, the features on the remote control and how far the outlet plate will be away from the television set, you will find customers are ready to let you know what they want.

But start discussing the relative merits of steel or alloy brackets, the strength and windloading on certain types of mast bracketry, the chances are you will find a much less animated customer. Of course, as an experienced installer, you know how important it is for an installation to run quickly and professionally that things are right on the rooftop. And we're not talking dishes or aerials here.

If you've tried products from the Vision brand before, you'll already know that they offer common sense features, robust technology and sensible prices. So it will be no surprise that a Rooftop Product carrying the Vision tag will install easily, function beautifully and give value for money. We look at three products here from the Vision Rooftop Range.

Smoke signals
Chimneys. Love 'em or loathe 'em, they are often the only way to secure a mast for a Satellite Dish or Terrestrial Aerial fixing without a wall mount. There is nothing wrong with this, as a quality chimney lashing can be just as secure as any other mount. But in practical terms, chimney lashing is often “second best” due to indifferent quality of manufacture and restrictions on chimney size. So it's no surprise that when Vision looked at a Chimney Lashing Kit, they kept all the good bits and binned the bad ones.

Take the way in which the lashing bracket is secured to the stack (pictured below). Your traditional twisted wire is a nightmare to cut with a hacksaw, can damage the stack if over-tightened and offers nothing special to stop the bracket twisting. The flat design of Vision VC Banding cuts easily, will not gouge out the corner of the stack and grips the chimney like a magnet to prevent twisting. The result is a solid fixing that will stay in place for years to come.

Or think about the size of the chimney stack itself. With most lashing brackets, you'll be able to secure to small domestic chimney stacks. Larger chimneys on commercial premises, multi-dwelling units or hotels, would be out of the question. Vision VC Chimney Lashings can be fitted to chimneys up to 6 metres along each side. That's nearly 18 feet, and simply because a 25 metre continuous banding strap is available to suit the lashing bracket if you need it.Even better, you don't need to buy any special tools to fit the Vision VC Chimney Lashing. Got a pair of tin snips or cutters? Got a screwdriver? That's all you'll need for professional, solid and practical fixing to a wide range of chimney stacks. Chimney lashing needn't be second-best with the right kit.

Vision VCB1 Single lashing kit (A94555)
Vision VCB2 Double lashing kit (A94572)
Vision VB25 25 metre banding roll (A94640)

No leaks. No fuss.
Ask a professional installer what causes most problems on a through-the-roof mast and the chances are “weatherproofing” will come near the top of the list. There isn't much that upsets a homeowner more than a leaky roof during the next downpour. So what do you do to keep the water out of their home and off your reputation?

The answer might be to try the Vision V15-100 Weatherproofed Roof Seal. Designed to replace the tile you have taken away, the Roof Seal sheds rain like a duck's back. And you know that it will carry on protecting as the tile itself is high quality lead, the flashing is malleable but hard wearing zinc, and it's topped off with a custom fit rubber collar to seal the mast as it passes from inside the loft to outside the roof.

You don't need to worry about wind-damage, as the same design that lets a palm tree withstand a hurricane when concrete buildings are reduced to rubble is built into the Roof Seal. By floating free from the tile and flashing, which are fixed securely to the roof, the rubber collar and mast flex in the wind without ripping the waterproof seal apart. The end result is a seal that stays sealed even under extreme rooftop conditions.

Vision V15-100 Weatherproof Roof Seal (A91954)

Short and to the point
Masts are, let's be honest, a pain. You can pretty much guarantee that whatever height you need, you never have the right length with you. They will be either be too short and you know that since joining two short lengths has never really worked or you'll have to carry longer masts, chop them up, and throw the excess away. I'm sure you don't need me to remind you the hassle of carrying a 10 foot mast on a roof rack!
Consider a product that comes in shorter sections, is easy to handle, and actually fits inside
your van. When you need a mast height taller than the length of one section, several can be securely slotted together without tools right there on the roof. And short sections mean less waste, faster installs and more profit.

The Vision VM Modular Mast System is available right now with all these benefits and more. Each mast section is a convenient 1.5 metres long and you can choose from the most popular diameters of 35mm and 50mm. Strength and durability are provided by steel construction and a gold passivated finish. Put up the Modular Mast System and you know it's going to stay put. And would you rather carry up to the roof short mast sections or an unwieldy full height mast? The really clever feature of the VM System is the way in which a number of short mast section can be interlocked to produce one taller mast. This gives you mast elevations of 1.5 metres, 3 metres or 4.5 metres by stocking just one single line. Although no tools are needed to create these taller elevations, special swaged ends on each section give you such a solid fit you'll left in no doubt to the sturdiness of the VM System.

Vision VM35-150 35mm diameter (A94538)
Vision VM35-150 50mm diameter (A94521)