Why skylights leak on Hampton Roads roofs
Almost every skylight leak is a flashing leak, not a glass leak. The curb, the step flashing up each side and the head flashing across the top all have to shed water in the right order. When sealant is doing the job that metal should be doing, it cracks in a few summers of heat and a few winters of freeze and thaw.
Local weather works against the detail. Wind-driven rain from a nor'easter pushes water sideways under any flashing that is not lapped correctly, and pine needles and oak leaves pile up on the uphill side of the curb, holding water against the joint. Salt air does not help the fasteners either.
Age matters as well. A skylight installed with the original roof often outlives the sealant and gaskets around it. If water is staining the ceiling next to a skylight, the first suspect is the flashing, and the second is the shingle courses around it.
Skylight repair: leak or condensation, reseal or replace
Start by telling a leak from condensation. Condensation beads on the inside of the glass on cold mornings and dries out by afternoon, and it points to humidity or a cold glass surface. A leak stains the drywall or framing around the unit, shows up after rain rather than after a cold night, and keeps coming back with each storm.
When it is a leak, the repair follows what the inspection finds. Failed sealant at the curb can often be cleaned out and redone. Bent or poorly lapped step flashing is replaced, with the surrounding shingles lifted and reinstalled so the metal sits under the courses where it belongs. A cracked frame or a failed glazing seal usually means replacing the unit.
Roof Masters weighs reseal against replace on the roof, not over the phone. A skylight in good shape on a worn roof is flashed correctly during the next replacement. A failing unit is better swapped once than patched every spring. For an active leak, call (757) 219-2106.
New skylight installation and what keeps it dry
A new skylight starts with the framing in the attic: the opening is cut, a curb or deck-mounted frame is set, and the flashing kit is woven into the shingle courses, with step flashing under the shingles on each side and head flashing lapped over the top. Roof Masters installs skylights as part of the roofing work, so the flashing and the shingles come from one crew.
The best moment for a new skylight is during a roof replacement, when the decking is open and the flashing can be integrated with new underlayment and shingles. A skylight added to an existing roof is still doable, and the surrounding shingles get opened up and rebuilt around it. Roof Masters installs asphalt shingle, metal and flat systems, and a skylight can go in any of them.
Warranty and upkeep close the job. Roofs get the manufacturer's warranty on materials plus Roof Masters' workmanship warranty on the installation, and the yearly roof inspection, plus one after any major storm, includes a look at skylight flashing. Financing through GreenSky is available when a skylight is part of a bigger project.
