Flashing-kit leaks
The most common cause. Water gets in at the upper corners or along the sides where the metal meets the shingles. The repair is new step flashing and counter-flashing, set in layers.
Serving Skagit County
Skylight Leak Repair in Concrete, Where the Seals Never Get a Rest
Finding and fixing skylight leaks caused by worn seals, flashing and condensation under constant moisture.
- Roof repair and replacement
- Wet-season moss, leaks and storm damage
- Connected to a local roofer
Get a fast quote
Fastest: call (833) 751-2102. Or send this and we call you back.
Skylights
Skylight Leak Repair: what it covers
Quick answer
Skylight seals and flashing fail under constant moisture, and a leak around one is often flashing rather than the glass. Concrete Roofing connects Concrete homeowners with an independent local roofer who finds the source, repairs or replaces the flashing or the unit, and quotes the work in writing after an inspection.
A skylight is a hole in the roof with a window in it, and a roof in the upper Skagit valley is wet for most of the year. Everything around that opening has to hold: the seal between glass and frame, the gasket, the flashing kit that ties the frame to the shingles, and the shingles themselves.
When a skylight appears to leak, it is rarely the glass. More often the flashing at the upper corners has failed, a seal at the frame has aged, or the skylight is the coldest surface in a warm room and is collecting condensation. Telling the three apart is the first job, because they have different repairs.
Needles and moss make it worse. Debris collects on the uphill side of a skylight and holds water against the flashing. Over the wet season, a skylight under a conifer can have a dam of debris pressed against it, and the leak that follows looks like a failure of the unit when it is really a failure of drainage.
- Service area
- Concrete & Skagit County
- Availability
- Call to reach a local roofer
- Phone
- (833) 751-2102
Warning signs
Signs you need skylight leak repair
Do not stand on or lean against a skylight; glass and plastic domes can give way. Avoid working at roof edges in the wet, and do not climb up to seal a skylight yourself.
- Water stains on the ceiling or the light shaft around the skylight
- Drips from the frame during or after heavy rain
- Mold or discoloration on the light shaft drywall
- Fogging between the panes of a double-glazed unit
- Condensation on the inner glass in cold weather
- Cracked, hardened or shrunken sealant around the frame
- Debris and moss packed above or beside the skylight
- Rust or lifted metal along the flashing
Our process
How our skylight leak repair visit works
Describe when it leaks
Tell the line whether it leaks during any rain, in wind-driven rain or after snow melts, and whether the glass fogs. The pattern points the roofer to the likely cause.
Inspect inside and out
The roofer checks the light shaft, the frame and the glazing from inside, then the flashing and the shingles around the skylight from the roof.
Separate leak from condensation
Water that appears only on cold mornings, with wet glass and frame, is condensation. Water that follows rain, with stains at the corners, is a leak.
Repair the flashing or seals
Failed flashing is replaced, not smeared with sealant. Seals and gaskets are renewed where the unit allows. Clearing debris is part of the visit.
Replace the unit if needed
Old units with failed glass or a failed frame may be better replaced, with a new flashing kit matched to the roof. The roofer should explain why.
Cost
How much does skylight leak repair cost in Concrete?
No sourced price exists for skylight work near Concrete. The quote turns on the following.
| Job | Typical range | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Cause of the leak | Found on inspection | A flashing repair, a new gasket and a full replacement are different jobs |
| Skylight type and size | Measured on site | Curb-mounted and deck-mounted units, and large ones, change the work |
| Interior damage | Separate trade | Stained drywall, wet insulation and mold in the light shaft are repaired after the leak is fixed |
| Roof type around it | Part of the quote | Shingles, metal and low-slope roofs flash differently |
| Access and distance | Part of the quote | A steep roof and a house far up the valley add time |
The roofer prices the repair in writing after inspecting the skylight.
Is my skylight leaking or just fogging up?
A leak follows rain and leaves stains at the frame corners. Condensation follows cold, humid weather and leaves beads of water on the glass and frame, often on the inside. Fog trapped between two panes is a failed seal in the unit itself. Note when it happens and tell the roofer.
In a house with a wood stove, a drying rack and long wet winters, indoor humidity is high, and a skylight is usually the coldest part of the ceiling. Running a bath fan to the outdoors and cracking a window can make a visible difference.
If moisture persists, a roofer can check the unit and the roof around it.
Can sealant fix a leaking skylight?
Seldom for long. Sealant dries and cracks, and it covers a failed joint rather than correcting it. Properly lapped flashing is what keeps water out. A roofer may use sealant as part of a repair, but it should not be the whole repair. Ask what is being replaced.
Look at the metal on the upper side. If it is rusted, bent or short, new flashing is the answer. If the gasket in the frame has hardened, the sash may need replacing. The same principle applies to chimneys and walls. See flashing repair.
Should I replace the skylight or repair it?
Repair if the unit is sound and the flashing is the problem. Replace if the glass has failed, the frame is rotted or corroded, or the unit is old enough that parts are unavailable. When the roof is being replaced anyway, a new skylight and flashing kit is often the sensible time to do it.
Ask the roofer to compare both options in writing. If the roof is nearly worn out, replacing the skylight and the roof together avoids opening the same flashing twice. See roof replacement.
What does the wet season do to skylights?
It keeps the seals and flashing wet for months, which speeds up wear. Debris above the skylight holds water against the metal, and moss can grow at the edges. Cleaning the roof around it each autumn and checking the interior in the first rains finds trouble early.
Winter storms add driven rain and branches. Look at the skylight after wind. A tidy roof around it is the cheapest protection.
When is a skylight worth keeping?
When the unit is sound and the flashing is the only problem, repair is sensible. When the glass has failed, the frame is corroded, or the leak keeps returning, replacement with a matched flashing kit is better. A roofer should show you the evidence for either choice rather than simply recommending one.
Think about what the skylight does. In a dark house under tall trees, it may be the best light you have, and worth the expense. In a spare room that rarely needs it, removing the opening and roofing over it removes a recurring leak risk.
Whichever you choose, ask the roofer to explain how the new work will tie into the roof around it. A skylight is only as watertight as the metal and shingles surrounding it.
What can you do about skylight condensation yourself?
Lower the humidity in the room, run bath and kitchen fans to the outdoors, keep a window cracked when drying clothes indoors and wipe moisture from the frame. If the glass itself is fogged between panes, the seal has failed and the unit needs repair or replacement. A roofer can tell which you have.
Skylights are cold surfaces in warm rooms, so any damp air condenses on them first. In a house heated with wood, with laundry on racks and long showers through the dark months, that is a daily event from November to March.
Condensation that runs down the shaft can stain drywall and grow mold over time. If you see black spotting in the shaft, wipe it with a mild solution, fix the humidity source and mention it to the roofer.
Options
Types and options for skylight leak repair
Seal and glazing failure
Gaskets and sealants age, and double-glazed units can fail, leaving fog between the panes. This is a unit problem and may need replacement of the sash or the whole skylight.
Condensation
No hole, just humid air meeting a cold surface. Ventilation, a bathroom or kitchen fan that vents outdoors and sometimes better glazing are the fix. See attic ventilation.
Skagit County
Why skylight leak repair is different in Skagit Valley and North Cascades
Houses built or remodeled in the last few decades around Concrete and Rockport often have skylights added to bring light into a dark, tree-shaded interior. Those units are the age at which gaskets and flashing begin to show their wear, and the surrounding conifers load them with needles.
In the upper valley, skylights face snow as well as rain. A skylight on a steep roof can have snow slide against its upper edge or sit on it, and the melt runs behind the flashing. If a leak appears after snow, say so on the call.
Cabins and weekend houses with large skylights are common up Highway 20. If a house is empty for weeks at a time, a slow leak can run unnoticed. Ask a neighbor to check after storms, and tell the roofer how long the house has been vacant.
Skip the guesswork. Call for a straight answer.
Tell us what's happening and we'll tell you honestly whether it's a quick fix, and what skylight leak repair should cost.
Where we work
Skylight Leak Repair across Skagit County
- Skylights in Rockport
- Skylights in Hamilton
- Skylights in Marblemount
- Skylights in Lyman
- Skylights in Darrington
- Skylights in Mount Vernon
- Skylights in Sedro Woolley
- Skylights in Acme
- Skylights in Clearlake
- Skylights in Deming
- Skylights in Burlington
- Skylights in Arlington
- Skylights in Granite Falls
- Skylights in Conway
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Related
Related services
Flashing Repair
Replacing worn flashing at chimneys, valleys, walls and vents, the usual leak points on older rural houses.
Roof Leak Repair
Tracing and repairing leaks that the late-October rains expose on upper Skagit valley roofs.
Attic Ventilation
Balancing intake and exhaust so attic moisture and condensation do not rot the roof from the inside.
FAQ
Skylight Leak Repair FAQs
Why does my skylight leak only in heavy rain?
A flashing gap may only admit water under pressure, in a downpour or driven wind. It is still a defect and will worsen. Tell the roofer when it happens.
Can condensation damage the ceiling?
Yes, over time. Constant moisture at a skylight can stain and mold the light shaft. Reducing indoor humidity and improving ventilation helps.
How long does skylight flashing last?
No sourced figure applies here. It depends on the metal, the installation and the exposure. Check it when you check the roof.
Can a skylight be added during a re-roof?
Yes, and it is a sensible time. Ask the roofer about the structure, the flashing kit and the position relative to the roof pitch and snow.
Will it affect my insurance?
Gradual leaks are often treated differently from sudden damage. The insurer decides. See storm claim roof help for what to document.
Why does my skylight drip only on cold mornings?
Because that is when warm, humid indoor air meets the coldest surface in the room. It is condensation, not a leak. Better ventilation and lower humidity help, and a roofer can check the unit and the flashing.