Skylights are a beautiful way to bring natural light into your home or business. However, skylights require proper maintenance and repair to keep them working effectively.
Over time, skylights can develop serious roof damage that puts the structural integrity of your home in jeopardy. Contact Skylight Repair Las Vegas NV for professional help.
Adding a skylight to your home can offer many benefits, from brightening bathrooms without sacrificing privacy to creating a more open, natural feeling in living spaces. However, like any window in your home, your skylight is vulnerable to leaks. When left unchecked, these leaks can lead to damage to your home’s ceilings and walls, requiring extensive interior repair. Knowing the early warning signs of skylight leaks can help you proactively address the problem to avoid costly repairs down the road.
The first step in identifying a leaky skylight is performing a thorough inspection. Look for moisture stains or discoloration on the ceiling and wall surfaces near your skylight. These are often yellowish or brown in color, indicating that the water has been present for a significant period of time. Also check for moisture around the edge of your skylight. This can indicate a compromised seal or insulation, and needs to be addressed as soon as possible to prevent further damage.
Another common issue with skylights is that they can become clogged with condensation. This can happen in rooms with high humidity, such as bathrooms, greenhouses, and kitchens. It can also be caused by temperature variations or insufficient ventilation. The most effective way to deal with condensation is to ensure that your skylight is fully closed and to use a fan when cooking or bathing.
Other common issues with skylights include aging materials, poor installation, and damaged flashing. As these materials age, they can become brittle or lose their protective qualities, leaving them susceptible to leaks. These problems can be exacerbated by extreme weather conditions, such as heavy rain or snowfall.
Inspecting your skylight for leaking can be easy if you know what to look for. For a thorough inspection, prepare items like a ladder, safety harness, caulking gun, utility knife, and roofing sealant or shingles. Be sure to thoroughly clean the area around your skylight, removing dirt and debris to aid adhesion of any new sealing materials. In addition, simulating a rainstorm with a garden hose can help pinpoint the source of a leak.
Cracks
Skylights can add a lovely touch to a home, and they also provide plenty of natural light to a room. However, like any other home feature, skylights require proper inspection and maintenance to ensure they function optimally and look their best. This routine maintenance includes a combination of professional inspections, repairs, and cleaning.
Cracks in skylight glass are among the most common issues that need to be addressed as soon as possible. If left unaddressed, the cracks can become worse and allow water to seep through, causing damage to the building structure and even creating dangerous mold. Cracks in the glass can also compromise insulation and result in higher energy bills.
Depending on the size of the crack, the repair may be as simple as applying a clear epoxy sealant. However, it’s important to work with a skilled contractor when using these materials and to follow the product guidelines carefully to prevent leaks from developing again. For large cracks in the skylight glass, it may be necessary to replace the entire skylight.
Skylights are typically made from acrylic, a material that loses its compounds over time, making it brittle and susceptible to cracking and breaking. These cracks are usually the result of weather conditions, such as heavy rain or hail. The cracks can be caused by expansion and contraction of the acrylic, which can happen during hot or cold weather.
Other common causes of skylight cracks include debris build up on the roof or a weakening of the surrounding roofing materials around the skylight. In addition, aging skylights can develop cracks due to the loss of compounds that make them flexible. In these cases, it’s often more cost-effective to replace the skylight rather than repair it.
Skylights generally last 15-20 years, so it’s a good idea to plan ahead for replacement when you notice signs that yours is reaching the end of its lifespan. This may include frequent repairs, foggy or cloudy glass, or poor energy efficiency. Upgrading to a new energy-efficient skylight with double or triple-pane glass will help you save on energy costs and eliminate leaks and other problems.
Defective Installation
If you’ve noticed stains or signs of water intrusion around your skylight, it could indicate an issue with the pane or flashing. In addition to acting as a source of light and natural ventilation, your skylight is also responsible for directing moisture away from critical junctions where roof slopes meet. Having a professional examine your skylight and roof to determine the cause of the problem is essential, and can help prevent a costly repair.
Water infiltration can result from a number of factors, including structural problems with the skylight, poor installation and deteriorating materials. Leaks and moisture buildup can damage the roofing system, causing leaks in your attic or rooms below the skylight. They can also lead to mold and wood rot, which can be damaging to the structure of your home.
Keeping up with routine maintenance and repairing any issues as they occur will help extend the life of your skylight, and reduce your risk of moisture infiltration. This includes regularly cleaning the glass and removing debris accumulation. In addition, you should have a professional inspect your roof, skylight and flashing to ensure they are working properly.
A faulty skylight can be a major health and safety concern, especially for those with asthma or allergies. Moisture from the skylight can lead to condensation, affecting temperature and humidity levels in the room below. Moreover, it can also cause rusting in the skylight frame and leaking at the joints. In some cases, the skylight may even fall from the roof, causing serious injury to anyone below.
It is important to hire a qualified and experienced contractor to perform skylight repairs. Ensure that the company has an active roofing license and insurance coverage to protect your property from liability risks. They should use high-quality sealants and coatings to create a durable, weatherproof barrier around the skylight. This will prevent leaks and water infiltration, protect the roof from damage, and boost the durability of your skylight. Also, make sure to have your contractor replace any rusting or damaged parts of the skylight, such as the weepage system and the flashing.
Damaged Flashing
Skylights are a wonderful addition to any room, bringing natural light and a unique view of the sky above. But if your skylight is leaking or you’re noticing water damage in your ceiling, it’s important to address these issues promptly to avoid structural problems and prevent costly mold growth.
The most common cause of skylight leaks is damage to the flashing, which is designed to lead water away from your roof and keep it out of your home. This issue is particularly common with deck-mounted skylights, where the flashing is positioned directly over the roof surface. Over time, this flashing can become corroded or damaged, which is why it’s important to regularly inspect your roof for signs of deterioration and repair them as needed.
Leaks caused by damage to the flashing are usually slow and can be difficult to spot. They may start out as minor damp spots or discolored patches in your ceiling, but if not addressed promptly, they can grow into major mold problems and structural damage. To reduce the risk of skylight leaks, it’s best to have your flashing inspected and repaired as soon as you notice any problems.
If the flashing is in good shape and you’re experiencing minor leaks, a simple resealing or caulking may be enough to fix the problem. However, if the shingles surrounding your skylight are starting to crack or lift, it’s a good idea to have them replaced to ensure a solid seal.
Another common cause of leaking skylights is a deterioration of the gasket or dome, which can also be repaired by a professional tradesman. These leaks typically occur because of a faulty connection between the plexiglass or dome and the flashing. This can be fixed by removing the old material, installing a new gasket, and then sealing it with roof cement.
In some cases, the leaking skylight may be due to a faulty frame or wood framing. Having the frame and woodwork inspected regularly can help identify any problems before they get out of hand. Additionally, it’s a good idea to replace the skylight frame when you replace your roof so that it’s integrated seamlessly with the rest of your roofing system.
