Natural light and skylights, unlike windows, provide light without taking away any wall space. Skylights can also give an attractive view of the stars on a clear night. Though, if they start to leak it can become a huge mess.
Mostly, the problems that cause skylights to leak are somewhat simple to fix but the most significant thing to understand to repair leaking skylight is how to evaluate the problem. If you follow the tips given below you will usually find the right solution and it may save your lot of time which would otherwise be wasted in making unnecessary repairs.
1. Take a Look about the Cause of Problem
Before you climb on the roof, take a look from inside your house. If your skylight is placed in a room that is usually damp, such as a kitchen or a bathroom, then the water dripping onto your floor may just be condensation that has built up on the glass. You can also make a temperature adjustment that will fix the trouble instead of an actual skylight repair.
2. Make Sure Your Ventilating Skylight is closed
Do you have a ventilating skylight which can be opened? Ensure that it is completely closed; even a tiny opening can allow rain to blow into a room if there is adequate wind.
3. Scrutinize the Skylight Pane
If you found that the root of problem is not from the inside, then it is the time to climb up and take a look. The first thing to scrutinize is the skylight pane itself. Whether it is cracked or damaged. Is the seal around the pane brittle? Next check, are there damaged shingles, or have some of the nails that hold down the skylight worked their way up? If one of these problems is at hand, but not wide, you will perhaps be able to make the repairs yourself with a bit of quality roofing caulk.
4. Caulk everything Around the Skylight
After an initial examination on top of the roof, if you cannot easily trace the problem, then it is probable that the leak is coming from a defect in the metal flashing around the skylight. If this is the case, then there are two choices either you can attempt to caulk everything around the skylight flashing or you can call in a professional. The caulk may provide a short-term solution to the problem but having a professional roofer replace the flashing is the best permanent solution.
When you first notice a leak around your skylight don’t jump to the conclusion, that you have to climb on the roof to cover everything that usually just makes the condition worse. Most skylight leaks can be easily located and repaired if you take an efficient approach.