Skylights bring the beauty of the Northwest into your home!
Skylights are a great addition to any home, especially here in the Northwest. With beautiful trees all around us, who wouldn’t want to bring the outside in? And with our famous overcast skies, extra light is definitely a commodity! But with time and usage, your skylights may start leaking. Many of us have older skylights that need updating, but how do you know if you need to replace it or just repair it? When it comes to home repair projects, saving money is on everyone’s mind but sometimes a repair can cost more in the long run than a replacement. Here are a few tips to help you know which way to go. Just remember, either way, Chase Construction NW, Inc. can help you. We’ll get you looking up at those trees worry free in no time!
When to repair your skylight
In many cases, repairing your skylight is a good choice especially if your skylight and roof system are less than 5 years old. If this is the case your skylight leaks occasionally, then it may only need a slight repair involving inspecting and resealing the flashings, glazing seals, mechanicals, etc. If your skylight is 5-10 years old and leaks more persistently, you may need a more extensive repair. Along with the steps involved in the minor repair, this may involve removing some of the roofing material around the skylight then applying an ice and water shield (leak barrier) and replacing the appropriate steel flashings and roofing shingles. This option may not match your current roof and will leave you with a different color around your skylight.
Age: If your skylight is about 12-15 years old and consistently leaking, then replacing your skylight may be the cheapest option. At this point, repairing your skylight will be an ongoing practice and the cost can really add up. This would be a great time to look at some of the newer and better skylights available today!
Roof replacement:
If you are planning on replacing your roof, replacing your skylights at the same time is the best option. The re-roofing process will disturb your skylight, and disturbing the area around or on the skylight can lead to leaks. There is really no way around that. If your skylight does fail after your roof replacement, part of your new roof will have to be redone, costing you more than if you had it replaced at the same time as your roof.
Remember, your skylight only lasts about 10-15 years, so even if it doesn’t leak, if its getting up there in age when you are ready to have your roof done. It is smart to replace your skylights at this time as well.
Another benefit to replacing it at the time of your re-roof is that the clock on both your roof and skylight will restart together, making it more convenient to think about your maintenance and repair schedule in the future.
New technology:
If you have an older skylight and it’s working fine, you may just want to upgrade to a more energy efficient model, or one with more bells and whistles. A few of our favorite are: TAM skylights – made right here in the Pacific Northwest, and Velux Skylights and Sun Tunnels.
We Have Over 13 Years of Experience Installing Skylights ! Contact Us Today!
Chase Construction North West Inc. is the place to trust for superior skylight installation. We come highly ranked both by our associates and our customers. Prior clients have given us a 4.5 rating on our various review sites and our trusted partner GAF® has awarded us with the prestigious Master Elite Status. We work hard to maintain our good standing and keep adding satisfied customers to our list. Chase Construction North West, Inc. is the one to trust for your residential, commercial – re-roofs and repairs. We provide services in King County and Pierce County, along with major cities such as Seattle, Tacoma, Puyallup, Federal Way, Renton, Auburn, Des Moines and all of the surrounding cities. If you are in need of roofing, decking, waterproofing, or skylight installation services contact Chase Construction North West, Inc. today. Fill out our free estimate form or call us today at (253) 445-8950. 
7 thoughts on “Do I Need to Repair or Replace My Skylight?”
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It’s hard to come by educated people about this topic, but you sound like you
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Hi, Thanks for sharing such a nice post.This is very beneficial and helpful. I appreciate you share a lot of knowledge about skylight roofing and technology for replacing and repairing it.
Thanks for explaining when it could be good to fix or replace a skylight. I actually didn’t know that if a skylight is older than 12 years, you should think about replacing it. I wouldn’t mind knowing if there’s an easy way to find out how old a skylight is or if you can only figure it out based on it’s design.
You’re welcome!