Do you live in Orange County and have a problem skylight? Check out our Repairs & Replacements Guide to learn more about common problems with skylights, why they start leaking, and whether your skylight can be repaired or needs replacing.
If you live in Orange County and have an old dome skylight that needs to be replaced, why not look at switching to a new glass skylight by Velux! Instead of looking up at a dull opaque piece of plastic you can enjoy a direct view of the sky through modern skylight glass. Here are the 3 main benefits of glass skylights over acrylic domes:
1. Aesthetics – A clear view of the sky and a more appealing skylight both from the inside and out as well as additional light that will brighten up your home even more! Velux also offers accessories like blinds and venting options to customize your skylight and make it do more for you!
2. Energy Efficiency & UV Protection – Modern skylight glazing that Velux uses blocks 99.7% of UV light and will improve energy efficiency by blocking heat from entering your home. Velux glass has the LoE3 coating between dual-laminated glass to prevent fading to the interior of your home.
3. Durability – Glass skylights in general will last longer than a dome skylight. Around 10-15 years the acrylic starts to fade and become brittle due to the elements and the UV light and little cracks start forming. The lifespan of a glass skylight is about 20-30 years before it starts to show signs of wear and tear.
1. Water Leaks – A skylight can leak for several reasons; cracked glass or a broken dome, the gasketing and rubber seals have dry-rotted in the sun, a flashing system that was installed improperly, or even from an adjacent hole in the roof. Either way, it’s important to properly diagnose where the leak is coming from and address it causes extensive water damage to the interior of your home. Read more about water leaks HERE.
2. Air-Flow – Is dust or debris getting into your home? This is a sign that your skylight is not secured down tight enough. Typically this happens because the gasket system between the frame and the curb are bad or it was installed incorrectly. The air gap now allows dust, debris, or smoke to blow down into your home. In many cases, this is a simple repair where a new gasket is put down and the skylight is re-secured and the problem is solved!
3. Broken Glass or Cracks in Domes – It’s pretty common to have a crack forming or a broken glass panel in a large glass skylight. Objects falling from the sky, like branches or hail, could crack the glass or they could just form over time in an old skylight. In some cases the glass can be replaced and the skylight resealed, but in very old skylights with thin glass like chicken wire, we typically recommend to replace the entire skylight. Once cracks start forming in plastic domes, they can never be repaired properly and will always expand until they start leaking. We always recommend replacing the entire unit.
4. Your Skylight is Too Hot! – Many old custom glass skylights were made from thin 1/4″ glass with zero protection from the sun’s UV light. The end result is unwanted heat into your home, as well as UV rays which can fade and damage the interior finishes of your home. Upgrading to a modern dual-glazed glass skylight with LoE3 glazing that blocks 99.9% of UV will improve the thermal efficiency of your home. The same is true for dome skylights, especially the larger they are. A thin layer of plastic does not block near the amount of heat or UV compared to modern skylight glass.
5. Your Skylight is Old and Ugly – Skylights that are 20+ years old typically are in need of repair or replacement. In many cases small leaks go undetected behind the drywall and can cause mold or structural damage to the framing of your home. Why wait until it’s too late! Replace out an old ugly dome and upgrade to a new modern glass skylight and enjoy the added protection from harmful UV light and unwanted heat!
What size is my skylight? How do you measure a skylight? If you have an existing skylight that needs to be replaced, one important factor to consider is the size. The new skylight has to sit in the same opening, so it needs to match the same dimensions. Measuring a skylight can be difficult, especially if you don’t know where you should measure it from. For a curb-mounted skylight, it should be measured from the very outside of the curb, including any roofing or flashing material. A deck mounted skylight is measured from it’s rough opening size. Skylight sizes are always listed as width by height.
Skylights can be custom made to match any existing opening. Lead times for custom sized skylights range anywhere from 2-3 weeks for domes, 4-5 weeks for custom Velux glass skylights, and up to 6 weeks for large custom glass skylights. The following are considered standard sized skylights that are typically available in stock or carry a 1 week lead time;
Skylights leak in two places; either the skylight itself is leaking or it is coming from a nearby hole in the roof or flashing system. It can be very tricky to diagnose where the leak is coming and sometimes a water test has to be performed. If the leak is coming from the skylight, it’s usually because the silicone seal between the glass and the frame has decayed. Skylights can be re-glazed to prevent further leakage. If the leak is coming from the roof or flashing system, the flashing and surrounding roofing material has to be pulled out and replaced. Orange County Skylights offers full warranties guaranteeing against leaks on our skylight repair and reseal projects
