VELUX Certified Installer
Replace the skylights while the roof is open.
Skylight replacement done as part of your roof replacement, so the skylight, its flashing and the new roof go on together as one weathertight system.
When is the best time to replace a skylight?
During a roof replacement. With the old shingles and underlayment already off, the skylight comes out and the new unit goes in with its own flashing kit, tied into ice and water shield and the new underlayment. Replacing it later means cutting into a finished roof, and keeping an old skylight under new shingles leaves the weakest seam in place.
Overview
Skylights belong in the roofing conversation
A skylight is a hole in the roof, and the flashing around it is one of the places a roof is most likely to leak. Older units, plastic bubble domes especially, also lose heat and collect condensation through a northern Minnesota winter. When a roof replacement is already planned, the crew, the tear-off and the new underlayment are all happening anyway, which makes it the moment a skylight takes the least extra work to deal with.
Covenant Builders is a VELUX Certified Installer. Skylights get looked at during the roof estimate, and if they are due, the replacement is planned into the same project rather than left for a second one. The product details further down this page come straight from VELUX.
What a skylight replacement includes
- Old skylight and its flashing removed along with the tear-off
- Curb, framing and surrounding deck checked for rot and repaired
- New VELUX unit sized to the existing opening wherever possible
- VELUX flashing kit lapped into ice and water shield and the new underlayment
- Light shaft below checked for water damage, with drywall repair where it is needed
FAQ
Skylight questions
Should I replace my skylights when I replace my roof?
In most cases, yes. A skylight's flashing is woven into the roofing around it, so a new roof over an old skylight either reuses tired flashing or has to be cut back open when that skylight fails. Replacing both together means one tear-off, one set of flashing details, and a roof and skylight that start their service lives on the same day.
What are the signs a skylight needs replacing?
Water stains on the ceiling or the light shaft below it, condensation dripping in winter, fogging between the panes, a cracked or yellowed plastic dome, and drafts around the frame. Leaks at a skylight usually come from failed flashing or seals rather than the glass, which is why the fix is usually the unit and its flashing together.
Why does my skylight drip in winter?
Often it is condensation rather than a roof leak. Warm, moist indoor air meets the cold glass and frame and condenses, the same way it does on a cold window. Older single-pane and plastic dome skylights are the worst for it in a Twin Ports winter. Insulated glass, an insulated and air-sealed light shaft and reasonable indoor humidity all reduce it.
Do skylights cause ice dams?
A skylight does not cause ice dams on its own, but snow and ice collect on the uphill side of the unit and meltwater has to be carried around it. That is why the flashing kit, with ice and water shield around the opening, matters more in northern Minnesota than in milder climates. It is also why a skylight should never be flashed with caulk and leftover metal.
Should I choose a fixed or a venting skylight?
A fixed skylight lets in light only. A venting skylight also opens to let hot, moist air out, which is useful in bathrooms, kitchens and upper floors that run warm in summer. VELUX venting units come in manual, electric and solar-powered versions, and the solar ones need no wiring, which keeps a replacement simple.
Does Covenant Builders install VELUX skylights?
Yes. Covenant Builders is a VELUX Certified Installer and replaces skylights with VELUX units as part of roofing projects across Duluth, Superior and the Twin Ports. Fixed, venting and solar-powered units, with or without built-in shades, are covered in the VELUX section of this page.