Your home’s skylights will remain beautiful and functional for as long as you keep a close eye on them. Problems often start when your cool ambiance from your pristine skylights assumes their undeservedly lousy reputation and starts leaking.
Your leaky skylight soon becomes an eyesore, and that’s when you turn to the web for assistance and recommendations on how to repair your leaky windows or who to hire for such an issue. Skylights may look like a breeze to repair and may entice your DIY nerves to give it a shot, but it is better that you find a professional to deal with it instead.
What causes Skylights to leak?
Nearly every skylight is bound to start leaking, whether it takes two, five or ten more years. Leaks often occur because of defective weather seals, a crack in the glass or the window inadvertently not closing entirely. According to experts in skylights, holes typically are as a result of poorly done installation procedures as well.
Remember, you shouldn’t confuse the ordinary condensed water with water that may have leaked in. Excessive condensation may flow along the side of the glass and eventually drip down and form similar lines as that of leaked water. The condensed water may also collect around the corners. Whichever the case, be sure to inspect and determine whether it actually is a leak worth worrying about!
How to repair your faulty and leaky skylights
It is highly critical that you don’t attempt to do any repairs on your own, especially if you have no expertise. This is because, much as this issue may look small, skylights are notoriously arduous to fix and seal adequately. So, you would better hire a Pro and mitigate the risk forever!
First, diagnose the cause of the leaks
This calls for a thorough inspection that would rule out any condensation. A professional inspection can take a couple of days as it must determine the cause and the severity of the problem. Diagnosis also must uncover if it’s caused by leaves and other debris that settled on the window and block the downhill flow of water. That’s why it’s reasonable to hire a contractor skilled in roof repair and replacement.
Next, fix the problem
Repairs will depend on the root-cause and the severity of the leak. You will have to re-seal any holes that could have allowed water to seep in through the space between the insulated glass structure. If roof flashing are causing it then the whole problem will be rectified using roof flashing cement on the areas around the entire perimeter of the unit.
In extreme cases, the removal of all the shingles near the skylight followed by an appropriate flashing will solve the whole problem altogether. Another popular and effective alternative is ‘step flashing’ whereby special metal pieces are interwoven with the window’s shingles to help wash away the water and a wraparound shroud for extra protection.
NY Roofing is the premier residential & commercial exterior contracting company in the Downtown Brooklyn area. We are GAF certified Master Elite Contractors. We provide full repair & install solutions for our clients. Contact as now for a free estimate.
