Roofing Repair and Leaking Skylights

Skylights provide an excellent source of light and are often installed in areas of the home that would otherwise be very dark. Some skylights have a screen and can be opened to provide ventilation as well.

There are a number of reasons a skylight can leak. The most common reason is that the skylight was improperly installed. This is something that may not present itself for years. Sometimes the skylight was installed by a do-it-yourselfer or perhaps by an inexperienced roofer. A skylight can look like it is installed properly but really isn’t. The only way an improper installation is discovered is when the light actually begins to leak.

There are several installations steps that are often overlooked and the installer never knows the consequences of the improper installation because he is long gone when the skylight leaks. Even the smallest defect in the install will cause the skylight to leak around the base or the curb of it. Often the installer neglects to place ice and water shield around the base. Sometimes too many nails are placed in the step flashing that surrounds the curb and eventually allow water to get in.

Another area a skylight can leak is where the pane of glass meets the seal. This is a somewhat rare occurrence on a well made skylight but should not be overlooked. In either case the water entering the house will pool at the bottom or lower pitched portion of the frame of the skylight.

One style of skylight that has a very poor track record in regards to leaking is what is called a “self flashing” skylight. They are one piece and are formed from plastic. They are bubble shaped and are usually amber in color. They are much less expensive than a well made curbed skylight and are often used in new construction. If you have one of these types of skylights then you will really need to replace it with a better one. They are very difficult to get them to stop leaking once they have started. They also become more brittle as they age so they have a tendency to crack when they get worked on.

In rare circumstances a skylight will appear to be leaking when in reality the moisture is due to condensation. This normally is not seen on double paned skylight as they provide enough insulation from the cold outside air to prevent water from condensing on them. The way to determine that this is occurring is if water id over the entire glass area and not just at the bottom corners. This would only occur in a house that was very humid as well. Another way to eliminate the possibility of condensation causing the leak is if it only occurs when it is cold outside.

It’s important to get the skylight repaired as soon as possible so as to not cause more damage to the surrounding area of the drywall and wood that frames the light. Once it has begun to leak it is not going to get better and likely will become worse over time. One characteristic of skylight leaks is that may have been leaking for some time before water appeared inside the house. This often means that the wood decking around the skylight will need to be replace due to rotting. You will certainly want to repair the leak before the structural of the house begin to decay.

It’s best to find an experienced roofer that will either replace or reflash the skylight. You would be better off not considering anyone that suggests applying roof cement or other materials as a stop gap measure because these types of roof repair techniques don’t last. They also make the inevitable professional repair that much more difficult to do.