If your home is starting to look and feel dark, depressing, and lacking in character, it could be time to carry out a few renovations and upgrades here and there.
While there are plenty of ways to lighten up a home and give it the makeover it so desperately needs, one of the best upgrades you can make is to install a skylight. On the surface, skylights may essentially just be windows you have in the ceiling, yet in reality they’re so much more. Skylights can transform any living space, flooding it with light and even providing ventilation in some instances.
Skylights not only help to brighten up and modernize homes, they also help to add value to them and improve aesthetics. Unfortunately, like anything, skylights do require regular care and maintenance, and things can go wrong.
Skylights are prone to a number of minor issues. If these minor issues aren’t addressed, they can become far more serious. To help keep your skylights in perfect condition, here are several common skylight problems and DIY solutions.
Dirty Skylights
Okay, this might not be the most serious skylight issue in the world, but it’s certainly annoying, especially when you want your home looking its best.
Because of where they’re fitted, skylights are prone to all manner of dirt and debris. Not only can they become distressed and dirty because of dust and rain, there’s also the risk of bird droppings and other contaminants.
Not only will dirty skylights look unsightly, but they will also not function as well as they should because the dirtier they are, the less light they will let into your home.
Needless to say, the solution to dirty skylights is to clean them regularly. If you’re able to clean them yourself, then make sure you wash them at least once per week. Alternatively, hire a professional window cleaning company and have them do it for you.
Condensation
One of the most common, and also the most frustrating issues plaguing skylight owners, is condensation in and around the skylights themselves.
Condensation, either inside the skylight glass itself, or on the outside, basically makes it look as if it’s raining as the glass will be coated with water droplets. This is not nice to look at, nor is it very practical.
If the condensation is inside the skylight, the seal between each pane of glass may be damaged and will need replacing. If the condensation is on the outside, improving ventilation around it should help to solve the problem. If you’ve a vented skylight, try opening it more regularly, even if it’s only open very slightly. If not, a dehumidifier should work.
Drafts and Breezes Being Let In
During the warmer summer months, a bit of a draft or breeze being let in by your skylight is probably quite nice, and isn’t something that should trouble you. In the winter, however, it’s a very different story.
If you can feel a cold draft or breeze being let in by your skylight, this will need to be taken care of right away. Not only will they let cold air into your home and bring down the temperature, they’ll also increase your energy bills as it will cost more to heat your home as you’ll be losing warm air, and letting cold air in.
Check the stripping around the edge of your skylight and look for any signs of damage or degradation. If the weather stripping is damaged, it will need replacing. You may also fit additional insulation.
If the damage is too bad however, the entire unit may need to be replaced.
Leaks
As a skylight owner, nothing will keep you up at night more than the thought of a leaking skylight.
A leaking skylight is literally the last thing any skylight owner wants on their hands, yet unfortunately these issues are more common than a lot of people seem to realize.
In order to put this issue right, you first need to figure out where the water is getting in. This can be very tricky because water always seems to find a way inside, even if it’s through the smallest, tightest gaps imaginable.
Carefully examine the skylight and look for any obvious signs of damage, such as cracks or chips in the glass for example. If the glass looks good, turn your attention to the flashing and weather stripping.
If the leak isn’t too bad, you could try using a clear water-resistant silicone yourself. If that doesn’t work, however, or if you can see that the damage is too severe, you may need to bring in the pros and have a new skylight fitted. Remember, skylights need to be completely watertight. if there is even the smallest of gaps, the water will find it and the rain will make its way into your home.
Damaged Opening/Closing Mechanisms
If you have a vented skylight, it doesn’t matter whether it is opened manually, or electronically, it is possible for these opening and closing mechanisms to become damaged and faulty from time to time. The last thing you want when it suddenly starts raining is to find that your skylight won’t close fully because of a faulty mechanism.
The simplest solution here is to fit a new one if you’re able to yourself, or again, bring in a professional and have them carry out the repair for you.
Fogging or Clouding
Does the view through your skylight window constantly reveal cloudy, foggy skies, despite the fact that it’s clear sunshine outdoors? If so, then you could have a problem with the seal between your panes of glass.
Damaged seals can not only cause condensation, but in cases of more severe damage, they can cause the view to look foggy/cloudy so you can barely see anything.
If this sounds familiar to you, the seal has likely failed or perished and it will need to be replaced.