Skylights are a fantastic feature for many homes. Many homeowners love their skylight, and for good reason. Skylights allow natural light to flow in, provide a unique view to the great outdoors, and make your home feel more spacious, all while saving you money on electricity without compromising your privacy. These features are timeless and are a highlight of many homes around the globe. But, like any other component of your home, wear and tear over time means eventual repair or replacement is inevitable. Despite their popularity, there is a lot about the installation and replacement process that many people don’t understand. If you have a home with a skylight or are considering installing a skylight in your home, here are a few things you should know about the replacement process.

In this article we will discuss:

• Does Your Skylight Need to Be Replaced?
• Benefits of Replacing Your Old Skylight with a New One
• How Often Do Skylights Need to Be Replaced?
• When is The Best Time to Replace Skylights?
• 5 Tips for Choosing a Skylight Installer
• What’s the Skylight Replacement Process?

Does Your Skylight Need to Be Replaced?

There are several telltale signs that your skylight needs replacement. Keep your skylight looking great and in top condition by looking out for some of these signs that indicate you might need to repair or replace yours.

1. The Age of The Skylight
   Although skylights come with varying life spans, the general rule is that they need replacing every ten years. It is definitely worth getting them checked if your building is around this age.

2. Yellow and Discolored Skylights
   As a skylight window ages, its clarity can be replaced with discoloration. Discoloration will appear as murky or yellow. These discolorations may point to a larger problem with the skylight structure, or they could be a result of old age. Either way, discoloration detracts from the purpose of a skylight which is to provide a clear pathway for sunlight to enter your home. Unless you enjoy less natural light in your home, then it may be time for a skylight replacement.

3. Cracks
   Even small cracks indicate that your skylight needs to be replaced. Small cracks eventually turn into larger cracks due to the stress placed on the acrylic or glass. Cracks could be caused by hail damage, severe weather, or old age, but they always need to be checked out thoroughly before they get worse.

4. Leaks
   This is an immediate sign that your skylight needs repairs or replacement. Although they act as windows, the skylights are in fact a part of the roof, and if water is being allowed through, then there is a problem that needs addressing. Water leaks can cause damage to the surrounding walls and create mildew or peeling paint.

5. Condensation
   Condensation occurs when moisture accumulates on the skylights glass. Condensation has the appearance of fogginess on the glass and is wet to the touch.Condensation is an early warning sign that the skylight’s sealants are not working properly.

6. Roof Problems
   If your roof needs to be replaced and it is experiencing problems such as leaking, then it’s likely that your skylight will also be experiencing problems. Older or damaged roofs provide less protection to your home and even if your skylight is newer, it still cannot manage to hold excessive amounts of water. This could cause its structure to be compromised due to moisture damage the roof caused around it.

7. New Technology
   Technology has advanced in the past ten years. Simply put, older skylights just aren’t energy efficient. A new skylight leads to less expensive energy bills, thus saving you money, and who doesn’t like saving money?

Benefits of Replacing Your Old Skylight with a New One

It can seem tempting to save money by letting your current skylight live out its natural life span; however, there are plenty of benefits associated with replacing them sooner rather than later.

A well-designed and correctly installed skylight will save you money in the long run by heating your house during colder months.

In fact, a new skylight will also invite a more natural atmosphere and provide the perfect balance of warmth and luminosity in any room. By allowing fresh sunshine to pour through, your home will become a more inviting space that you can’t help but feel excited to be around.

Furthermore, natural lighting not only looks better, but exposure to it has also demonstrated benefits on our mood.

How Often Do Skylights Need to Be Replaced?

Typically, the average lifespan for an installed skylight ranges from 8-15 years, depending on the quality of installation and its material. However, some homeowners prefer to replace their skylights every 10 years, so that there is no risk of being without natural lighting at any point.

Admittedly, if you are not experiencing problems with your skylight, it can be easy to forget about them. That’s why we recommend checking on them at least once a year. Checking yearly ensures they stay in good condition and won’t require constant repairs or replacements.

When is The Best Time to Replace Skylights?

It is best to replace your skylight(s) when you are re-roofing your house. Why? Because the re-roofing process will take a toll on your current skylights if you do not replace them.

There are a number of reasons why skylight replacement is a smart choice when re-roofing your home. Most reputable builders and roofing contractors recommend it because damage to the skylight, flashing or framing often occurs when the old roofing is removed. Damage caused during tear-off is likely to cause leaking or seal failure, undermining your efforts to improve your home.

But why can’t you just keep your skylights while your roof is being replaced? The issue with keeping your old skylights with new roofing is, eventually, you will have to replace them anyway. Trying to salvage skylights to save a few dollars now may end up costing many more dollars down the road.

Replacing your skylight(s) during re-roofing maintains your home’s appearance, is more cost-effective, protects warranties, and preserves your investment.

5 Tips for choosing a Skylight Installer – Trust A Professional

Although there are YouTube channels and DIY blogs that encourage you to tackle projects on your own, we don’t advise doing any sort of roofing project if you are not a professional. Though they seem otherwise, roofs are fairly delicate. One step in the wrong spot could permanently damage your roof and lead to injury. Amateur repairs can lead to further damage or leaks and could make a small repair into an expensive project. More importantly, it is easy to fall or injure yourself while on your roof. In 2009, 1/3 of all fatal falls occurred from roofs or ladders. Please do not take the risk with your home and safety. Call a professional for all your roofing needs.

Here are a couple of pointers to help you pick the right installer:

1. Check the installer’s roofing license. Stay away from unlicensed installers. Not only will they do a poor job, but they also are not insured.

2. Make sure the installer is experienced, since installing a skylight takes expert craftsmanship.

3. Research your installer of choice. Do they have an exemplary track record? Have they done similar jobs?

4. Talk with people who hired the installer. Are they happy with the job? What about customer support?

5. Talk with the installer. Probe them. Do they sound like they know what they are doing? Are they transparent about the job?

What’s the Skylight Replacement Process?

The process of replacing a skylight will vary a bit depending on how you go about it. If you are doing it independently of the roof replacement, the process generally takes a few hours. Your roofing expert will remove the existing skylight and fit it in the new one. Once it’s in place, they will replace the seal or flashing around the window. They may need to also come inside to finish the installation and repair any small damages to your paint or trim done during the replacement.

For anyone who has been considering their skylight options, we have a comprehensive list of light-filled designs that will absolutely make your home come to life.

Final Thoughts

You may not have thought much about it, but your skylight can make a big impact for the ambiance of your home. If you are thinking about replacing an old skylight or adding one to your roof for the first time, you must consider all these factors before making any decisions.

We want to help you find the right solution for your next project. If you are looking for a company that can assist with the design, fabrication, installation, and warranty service of skylights in residential or commercial properties throughout North America, then DĀLYTE is here to provide expert advice on the latest designs and products.

Our team of experts can help guide your decision-making process to be as stress-free and straightforward as possible. Contact our team today at sales@dalyteusa.com or (800) 748.2036, so we can start planning your daylighting project!