Skylights are special architectural features that allow entry of natural light in dark rooms. While they come with a lot of benefits, they also bring with them significant loophole-leaks.
Their design is such that installing them infiltrates and interrupts the surface of a roof and is thus singularly susceptible to leakages. In maximum instances, it is rainwater that gets pooled at the top of a skylight, snowballs into larger puddles before finally finding a way to drip through, especially from around the edges.
Allegiant Roofing Dayton OH and Allegiant Roofing Cincinnati OH comprise a team of experts with years of experience behind them, who industriously care for the first line of defense of your homes, the roof.
When it comes to the skylight, here’s how we diagnose, identify and repair a leak.
There may be various reasons behind a leaking skylight-
- Heavy condensation within due to extreme cold weather outside could sometimes manifest leakage-like symptoms and thus should be the first cause to be ruled out. An easy solution to this is to cut down on the humidity in the room by using a dehumidifier or by improving the ventilation
- A secondary roof leak above the skylight finding its passage out through the ceiling opening in the vicinity of the skylight could also be a possible cause of the leakage
A common point of pain is the seal between the flashing and the roof.
What should be the first steps to narrow down the source of leakage?
If the source of leakage happens to be the skylight itself, here is what roofing Dayton OH and roofing Cincinnati OH takes care of-
- Get rid of any debris or leaves that may be collecting on the skylight
- Closely examine the exterior of the skylight
- Carefully hunt for any gaps that may be present in the framework
- Scrutinize the entire area for any flashing that may have been installed improperly
If none of this helps, zero in on the source of leakage; we use a hose to reproduce the leak.
What should be done next?
- Once the origin of the dripping is identified, be it through the lens, the frame or the flashing around the skylight, roofing Dayton OH and roofing Cincinnati OH gets down to troubleshooting the roof leak.
- Secure chinks or breaches in the flashing, if any, with the help of roofing cement that is available either in a can or a tube
- If the crevice is around the skylight lens, apply cent percent silicone caulking from a tube to shut the leak
The third step is to take stock of the metal flashing around the frame of the skylight, which is then either repaired or completely replaced.
Here’s a step-by-step guide
- Lift up the shingles that are near the skylight laboriously one at a time and clear off any dirt/debris that may be present
- Use a caulking gun loaded with a tube of roofing cement, and position is correctly near the thick black paper under the roofing material and then seal the roofing shingles tight
- Any visible crevices must then be sealed with the help of the same roofing cement and taking care not to seal weep holes designed to drain away water
- Use clear silicone caulk to close off areas where the skylight glass meets the frame, in case of any leakage
