Sealing Your Leaky Skylight
Whether you know the cause of a leaking skylight or not, it’s a pain to fix and can sometimes be costly. It’s no surprise that when it comes to fixing the problem, you’re more likely to lean towards doing it yourself.
In some situations, it is possible to fix your leaky skylight yourself. In others though, you’ll have to call a professional or your Orlando skylight installation company. If you want to see what you can do before calling someone, here are a few ways you can seal your leaky skylight.
Sealing Your Leaky Skylight
If you’ve noticed your skylight leaking, it’s important that you get it fixed quickly. Sealing a leaky skylight can be a bit difficult for those who have little or no experience working on rooftops. If you’re nervous about climbing up, then it’s probably best to call someone. If you feel ready to go though, then it’s time to hit the store.
Leaky skylights can be fixed with roofing cement or caulk. You might want to get up close and inspect around your skylight before deciding which one to use though.
With Caulk
You can get some caulk and use it to plug any holes between the window pane and the frame. It’s great for fixing condensation problems, but if water has already gotten between the panes, your skylight may look foggy or have trapped moisture in it from now on.
With a clear silicone based caulk, follow the window pane around the edge and let the caulk dry. If you’re lucky, this will solve your leaking problem. If it doesn’t, you’ll have to call a professional.
With Roofing Cement
When using roofing cement, things get a little more complicated. First, you’ll have to remove the shingles from around your skylight. This has to be done one shingle at a time and while you’re at it, brush out any dirt or debris you find.
Once the shingles are removed, you can use a caulking gun to apply the roofing cement. You’ll have to get pushy to get the cement under the roofing felt and nearby shingles but once you’ve got enough roofing cement down, you can push your shingles back into place. Make sure they’re down tight and no holes are left for water to slip through.
You can use the roofing cement to seal any other holes or joints in the flashing, but it’s not a good long term solution. Also, be careful not to seal the weep holes that are purposely built in your skylight pane.
How to Tell Your Skylight is Leaking
The most obvious clue is that you see water. However, signs of condensation or water droplets between the window panes may also signify a leak in your skylight. If you see signs of water damage on your ceiling near your skylight, it can hint of a leaky skylight.
Conclusion
Leaky skylights are a problem, but they’re not impossible to fix. In many cases, you’ll have to call a professional. Try some simple DIY tricks but if they don’t work, call your professional skylight company for help. Whatever you do, don’t neglect the problem as it can fester into a more significant issue.
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