Problem: Your Skylight Leaks During Heavy Rain
This is the call we get most often, usually after a spring storm dumps an inch of rain in an hour. You see a drip, a stain spreading on the ceiling drywall, or water tracking down the shaft. Nine times out of ten in Wood Wind, the skylight itself is not the problem. The flashing kit is. Older installs used step flashing cut short, roofing cement instead of proper saddle flashing above the curb, or shingles laid flat across the top where water needs a diverter.
Solution: Rework the Flashing, Not the Skylight
A real fix starts with pulling the shingles around all four sides of the curb and inspecting the existing flashing. We install a new head flashing with an integrated diverter, fresh step pieces up both sides, and an apron at the bottom. Ice and water shield wraps the entire curb. Done right, this repair takes half a day and costs a fraction of a full skylight replacement. If you want the deeper breakdown of how we trace water intrusion, our guide to roof leak detection and repair walks through the process we use.
Solution: The Right Glazing, Shades, and Placement
The heat problem is usually solvable without giving up the daylight. Modern low emissivity glazing rejects much of the solar heat while still letting light through, and on a replacement we can specify glass tuned for our climate. Interior shades or blinds, including motorized options on hard to reach units, give you control over the worst of the afternoon sun. And where the issue is a poorly placed skylight on a blazing west slope, relocating it during a roof project may be the better long term answer. We walk through which of these fits the room and the budget, so a homeowner keeps the light without the heat.
Solution: Replace the Glass Pack or the Full Unit
On newer Velux or Fakro skylights, you can sometimes order a replacement glass pack and swap it without disturbing the curb or flashing. That is the cheaper path and we always check for it first. On older units where parts are no longer made, a full replacement is the only option. The good news is a like for like swap into an existing, properly flashed curb is straightforward. Expect the investment to run roughly $900 to $2,200 for the unit plus labor, depending on size and whether you upgrade to a solar powered venting model.
Solution: Use a Full Manufacturer Flashing Kit and a Proper Curb
A correct install in Wood Wind follows a specific sequence:
- Frame the rough opening with doubled headers and trimmers sized to the skylight manufacturer spec.
- Build or install a pre made curb at the correct slope, then wrap it with ice and water shield extending 6 inches onto the deck on all sides.
- Install the manufacturer flashing kit in order: apron, steps, head flashing with diverter, weaving new shingles as you go.
We are Owens Corning Preferred and Malarkey Certified, so the shingle side is covered. On the skylight side, we install Velux and Fakro units because their flashing kits actually work as designed. Skip the kit, and you are gambling. If you are vetting installers, our piece on how to choose a roofing contractor covers the questions that separate pros from problems.
Problem: A New Skylight Install Feels Risky
Cutting a hole in a perfectly good roof sounds like asking for trouble, and if the wrong crew does it, that fear is justified. We have torn out plenty of DIY and handyman installs where the rafters were cut without headers, the curb was built from untreated lumber, or the flashing was improvised from sheet metal and caulk.
Solution: Plan the Replacement Around Your Roof Timeline
If your roof is within five years of needing replacement anyway, the smart move is to schedule the skylight work at the same time. New curb, new flashing, new shingles all installed as one continuous system. You avoid paying for flashing twice, and you get a single warranty covering the whole area. Homeowners weighing timing should look at our notes on the signs your roof needs replacement before committing either direction.
This is also the right moment to rethink placement and size. A kitchen that felt dim ten years ago may benefit from a larger venting unit that doubles as a passive exhaust for cooking heat. A bathroom remodel is a good excuse to add a tubular skylight where a full curb will not fit. Wood Wind Roofing walks through these options during the estimate so you are not locked into the footprint of the original opening.
Problem: Storm Damage to the Skylight Itself
Wood Wind hail does not spare skylights. A 1.5 inch stone can crack a glass pane or shatter an older acrylic dome. Wind driven debris can bend flashing and open gaps you will not spot from the ground.
Problem: Your Skylight Is Too Old, Too Small, or Just in the Wrong Place
Some skylights were installed in the 1990s with plastic domes that have yellowed, cracked, and started shedding UV-damaged fragments into the attic. Others are sized for a room that has since been remodeled, or were placed over a hallway where they do almost nothing for natural light. You are not repairing your way out of that.
Problem: The Skylight Makes the Room Too Hot in Summer
A skylight that floods a Wood Wind room with light in spring can turn it into a hotbox by July. Direct overhead sun through older single pane or clear glazing pours heat into the space, runs up the cooling bill, and makes the room uncomfortable in the afternoon. Homeowners often assume they are stuck with it.
Problem: Condensation or Fogging Between the Glass Panes
You look up on a cold January morning and see moisture trapped inside the glass itself, or a milky haze that will not wipe away. That means the seal between the two panes has failed and the insulating gas has escaped. No repair fixes this. The glass unit is done.
Worth noting: not every wet skylight is a failed seal. If you only see moisture on the interior surface of the glass during cold snaps, and it wipes clean, that is room side condensation from high indoor humidity. The cure there is better attic ventilation and a bath fan that actually vents outside, not a new skylight. We check for this before quoting any glass work because replacing a perfectly good unit to solve a humidity problem helps nobody.
Solution: Document Everything Before You Touch It
Photograph the damage from inside and outside if it is safe. File the claim promptly. Hail and wind damage to skylights is almost always covered alongside the rest of the roof, but the adjuster needs to see it as part of one event. We handle these inspections at no cost and document findings with the detail insurance requires.
What to do in the first 24 hours
If the glass is cracked but holding, place a bucket under the interior opening and tarp the exterior only if you can do it safely from a ladder, never from the roof itself in wet conditions. Do not apply caulk or patching compound to the damaged area before the adjuster sees it, because that can muddy the claim. Save any hail stones in the freezer for size reference, and note the date and time of the storm. Call Wood Wind Roofing once the weather clears and we will take it from there.