A skylight is a feature that not only adds value to a property, it also helps to noticeably improve the ambience and provide a warm, inviting, and welcoming space.
Skylights are essentially windows in the ceiling of your home. They’re designed to allow light into the home, assist with ventilation, and provide fantastic views of the sky. A skylight offers many benefits, but like all features in the home, it must be looked after and maintained to keep it at its best.
On a warm, clear, sunny day a skylight is fantastic as it floods the room with light, and in many cases, also assists with ventilation. On a cold, grey, wet and rainy day however, you may not be as impressed with your skylight if you find that it leaks and allows water into your home.
Leaking skylights are fairly common and can be caused by a variety of different things. Here are several DIY skylight leak repair tips to fix common issues.
Be Safe
First and foremost, when you’re carrying out any form of DIY at home, no matter how big or how small, it’s important that you prioritize your own safety and the safety of others.
As you’ll be examining a skylight and potentially carrying out some repairs, you will of course be off the ground. This likely will involve a ladder so make sure it’s safe, sturdy, and secure. You will also need to gather the necessary tools and safety equipment and use them correctly.
Never walk on a skylight or apply any excess pressure onto it. Falling through a skylight could cause all manner of injuries and could even result in loss of life.
Ensure It’s Not Condensation Causing the Leak
Believe it or not, but often when it comes to the possibility of a leaking skylight, the actual cause of the “leak” is nothing more than condensation.
If you notice water dripping down into your home from your skylight, carefully and safely get up there and make sure it isn’t condensation that’s the cause. If the glass looks wet, check if the water is on the inside or outside. If it’s on the inside, it’s likely condensation causing it.
Condensation will usually form on cold surfaces such as glass, and then collect in one spot, usually a corner, where it will then drip down onto the floor below. To the naked eye, this can look like a leak, especially from down on the ground looking up.
If the cause of the dripping is indeed condensation, the best solution here is more ventilation. If your skylight isn’t vented, look for alternative ways of ventilating the room such as opening doors or windows, or even using a basic fan.
Examine the Weep Holes
Speaking of condensation, another useful tip for avoiding condensation on and around your skylight is to ensure that the weep holes are clear.
Weep holes are tiny holes situated on the lower half of the frame of the skylight for the condensation to drain away.
Overtime, these holes can become blocked up, especially during the fall and winter months when there is a lot of debris from dirt and foliage. When blocked up, condensation can’t drain away and so the skylight glass can become misted and cloudy.
Check the Gasket
If you have a skylight that opens, one of the first things you need to do is examine the rubber gasket located around the frame. Look for any visible signs of damage or deterioration. Mold is another thing to watch for, as this could be an indication of water. If water is getting under the seal, the gasket is obviously not watertight.
If you are confident that the gasket is indeed at fault, you can go ahead and order a new one and carefully replace it.
Ensure the Skylight Closes Properly
Again, if you have a vented skylight that opens, get up there and check that the skylight is indeed able to open and close properly.
In some cases, people find their skylights leaking and allowing rain to drip into their home, simply due to the fact that the skylight is not closing properly. It could be that some leaves, tree foliage or other forms of debris are preventing the skylight from closing completely. To the naked eye it may look closed, but if there is even the slightest gap there, water will always find a way in.
Check the Flashing
If you are confident that your skylight is leaking rather than simply not closing properly, or suffering from condensation, it is likely the flashing that is to blame.
Carefully examine the flashing and look for visible signs of damage. The water will likely either be seeping underneath the flashing, or dripping in through the seal located between the skylight and the flashing.
If the flashing is to blame, you can go ahead and carry out a repair. Clean the surrounding area, allow to fully dry, and then use the correct sealant and a caulk gun to seal the skylight back in place and make it watertight.
Have a Professional Look Things Over
Finally, if you aren’t sure where the source of your skylight leak is or how the water may be getting in, it could be time to pick up the phone or jump online and speak to a professional.
If you’re not confident in your own abilities, or if you just don’t have the materials, bring in a professional and have them repair your leaking skylight for you.
Professional roofing contractors, for example, will deal with these types of jobs all the time and will likely be able to carry out the repair in a couple of hours. By leaving it to the pros you’re almost guaranteed a professional finish that works first time.
Even if the fix doesn’t quite take the first time, a professional will likely come back and carry out the repair again for no additional costs. This will save you both time and money.