Maintenance · 4 min read
Skylight Leaks: Repair, Reflash, or Replace?
Published
Not every wet skylight is leaking. In Ohio winters, condensation is nearly as common a cause as actual water intrusion.
Leak or condensation?
Condensation appears on cold mornings, is uniform across the glass, and gets worse when indoor humidity is high. A leak shows up during or shortly after rain and typically stains one corner or edge of the shaft.
Flashing failure
Older skylights were often installed with tar and step flashing improvised on site. Modern units come with engineered flashing kits, and reflashing an otherwise sound skylight during a reroof is standard practice and inexpensive at that time.
Seal failure
If the glass is fogged between panes, the insulated glass seal has failed. That's a replacement, and it's also why the unit is now cold enough to condense.
The reroof rule
If your skylight is over fifteen years old and you're replacing the roof, replace the skylight too. Reusing an old unit and then having it fail two years later means opening a brand-new roof.
If any of this applies to your own home, our emergency roof repair crews handle it every week, and you can see how we work in your area on our Troy, Ohio roofing page. Inspections and written estimates are free either way — call 937-749-7767.