In theory, skylites should be a beautiful addition to many homes. In practice, however, they are very often the cause of more trouble than they're worth; costing many times their original value in damage and repairs. Aside from providing a vulnerable spot on the roof for heat loss, skylites are often an easy starting point for moisture problems, leakage, and rot. Especially in our climate, it is almost inevitable that in very short order, skylites are going to leak. To the right you'll see a typical skylite from the outside. This unit has caused several problems at this particular home, and the homeowners have had enough.

A closer shot of the skylite with some magnified details presents a better picture of what's going on. This skylite is in fact the source for some major leakage; water has been seeping in here for some time. The water damage is quite apparent around the window frame; the small arrow also indicates where water had actually dripped down the interior ceiling of the room. A close up view of the window frame shows thick clumps of mold and mildew growing in the leaky, moist environment; an easy telltale of water coming in. This is a moisture problem which can only be solved by permanent elimination of the root cause. The skylite has to go.

Time for the moisture problems to stop at the source. Taking great care, we have removed the skylite from its place in the roof. It will not be replaced (otherwise, this would only provide temporary relief until the new unit inevitably leaked); rather, the area will be properly filled in and patched. Once the skylite has been removed, the surrounding area is inspected. Any rotting structural members in the roof will be identified and replaced, along with any other damaged roofing materials. Saturated or compacted insulation which has lost its R-Value will also be taken care of.

Once the rotted and damaged members have been replaced, the process of turning what had been a leaky hole back into a solid section of the roof can begin. A new board bridges the gap between rafter members where the window once held space. On the inside, any saturated or rotted drywall (in this case ceiling) has been removed and replaced. New drywall is then installed for the interior ceiling, patched and covered to blend seamlessly with the rest of the room's ceiling. When interior repairs are completed and dried, the ceiling will be painted to the nearest edge to finish the interior work in such a manner that one might never know there was once a hole in the ceiling. Meanwhile, on the outside, proper insulation is put into place to fill the area between the rafter cavities.

With the insulation in place, fresh roof boards are installed to cover the opening. Then fresh sheathing will be put into place, followed by shingles to blend as closely as possible with the existing roofing materials. Steps will be taken to properly seal the area throughout. When we're finished, what had once been a leaky hole in the roof will now be a solid, impermeable part of the structure again, and the homeowners will be able to rest easy knowing that a primary source of moisture problems in their home has been eliminated.

No more hole, no more leaks.