What to do if your skylight is leaking.

The first thing to do is to determine what kind of skylight you have. Most skylights are made with two panes (double paned) of glass. If the skylight in question has flat glass then it is likely double paned. We occasionally see flat glass skylights with only one pane and these have always been home made. Unless this is the case it is likely that you have a double paned skylight. If the skylight is convex or bubble shaped it could be either. If the bubble is clear it is likely double paned and if it is amber, then it is probably single paned.

It is pretty unusual for a skylight to leak where the glass meets the frame. I'd guess less than 1% of the time. The most likely source of the leak is at the curb or where the skylight joins the roof. Roofing contractors in Ohio more likely will have installed a "curbed" skylight. From the outside it will have a frame that is about four inches high that the skylight rests on.

You may have an amber colored light that doesn't have a curb. This is called a "self flashing" sky light. They used to be common around the Columbus area, but by now most of them have been replaced. They aren't very reliable and are difficult to remove or work with without cracking them.

The most likely scenario is that you have a curbed skylight that needs to be reflashed. This requires that we remove the roofing material around it, usually shingles, reflash it, then replace the roofing material. We also use ice and water shield above the light to ensure the melting snow won't become an issue in the winter. Some of our customers' worry that skylights are leak prone, but a properly installed skylight is just as leak proof as any other roof component.

Give us a call if you have a leaky skylight and we will be happy to give you a free estimate to repair it.

Call for an Estimate!

614-792-6797

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