DIY Skylight Repair

Can I Repair My Own Skylight?

We get asked a lot if there is a DIY skylight repair for homeowners. It’s a small leak, or they can’t really see anything wrong with the skylight, so it’s got to be a simple fix right? This may not be what you want to hear, but here is the short answer; we wouldn’t recommend it. Your DIY “repair” usually makes it more challenging and more expensive for a professional (like us) to repair the leak permanently. But do you want the long answer? Keep reading.

Do yourself a favor, save your time, money, and get it done right the first time. Call us for a free estimate at (303) 761-2200.

Why is it Leaking?

velux flashing kits repair

The biggest hurdle and the first challenge you will face is why is your skylight leaking in the first place. The flashing could have holes, or be improperly installed, or the skylight could be cracked, or the seals could have failed, or the frame be improperly installed, or it could be the roofing leaking near or above the skylight, etc…

That’s the first reason we recommend hiring a professional. There are many reasons why a skylight could leak, all with different repairs required, and it takes experience and knowledge to properly diagnose the issue.

Temporary Fix or Permanent

diy skylight repair
One skylight we repaired, the other a homeowner repaired, can you tell which is which?

Secondly, what type of fix do you want? The cheapest fixes are to simply use a tube of roofing sealant or caulking, but these are a temporary solution, as the binding agent breaks down over time due to exposure, eventually resulting in a leak again. And they only work if applied in the correct spot. You can actually cause your skylight to start leaking by applying this in the wrong areas, obviously not a good thing to do. Plus it usually takes more work on our part to remove the “fixed” areas and replace with proper flashing or skylight, etc.

Safety

skylight warning fall

Finally, getting on a roof is not as safe as it might seem. Falls are dangerous, and even a fall from 6 feet has the potential to kill. Humans are just not built to take impacts well, resulting in a lot of damage and usually death. There are several news reports every year of people (even firefighters) falling through skylights to serious injury or death. Even being near your skylight is dangerous without safety equipment and training. Skylights afford a false sense of security, because you feel like the skylight will support you. In most cases, they will not.

What We Recommend: Don’t Do It Without Help

However, if you have experience on a roof and repairing your home on your own, we would be happy to provide free advice. Simply give us a call and we can walk you through the process of finding the leak or other skylight issue, and how to properly repair it.

But if getting on the roof sounds a bit sketchy or makes you feel uneasy, don’t risk your life and your belongings just to save a few dollars. It might seem like the easier and cheaper option, but your DIY “repair” usually doesn’t fix the issue, and makes it more difficult and more costly for us to repair it properly. So do yourself a favor, save your time, money, and energy, and get it done right the first time. Contact us for a free estimate or give us a call at: (303) 761-2200.

3 thoughts on “DIY Skylight Repair”

  1. The wood frame on ourVS2 is rotten. It’s the frame that cranks open. Can I purchase the frame or glass and frame together.

    Reply
  2. I appreciated it when you mentioned that using a caulk sealant on a leaking skylight is only a temporary solution because the bonding agents will eventually break again. My skylight broke recently, and I used caulk to seal it back up thinking that would okay. I’m going to have to follow your advice and call a professional to have it properly replaced.

    Reply

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