Skylight Installation & Repair
New skylight installation and leak repair — flashed to the same standard as the surrounding roof, not treated as an afterthought.
Most skylight leaks aren't actually the skylight's fault
When a skylight leaks, most homeowners assume the unit itself has failed. In our experience, the glass or dome is rarely the problem — it's almost always the flashing around the skylight curb that has deteriorated or was installed incorrectly in the first place. We diagnose the actual source before recommending a repair or a full skylight replacement.
For new installations, we cut in the opening, frame and flash the curb properly, and integrate the flashing with the surrounding shingle courses so water sheds around the skylight instead of toward it. This is the step that gets rushed on a lot of installs we've seen and repaired, and it's the step we spend the most time getting right.
Why homeowners call us for skylight work
- We diagnose flashing versus unit failure before quoting a repair
- Proper step-and-counter flashing integration with surrounding shingles, not just caulk and hope
- Experience with both new installs and replacing older, leak-prone skylight units
- Straight answer on whether a repair will actually hold, or whether replacement is the better long-term call
The skylight process, install or repair.
Diagnosis
For repairs, we determine whether the issue is the flashing, the seal, or the unit itself.
Scope & recommendation
A clear plan — reflash, reseal, or replace — with the reasoning behind it.
Flashing work
Step and counter flashing integrated properly with the surrounding roofing material.
Unit installation
For new installs or replacements, the skylight is set, sealed, and flashed to manufacturer spec.
Weather check
We confirm the fix or install holds through the next rain event.
Skylights and Indiana's seasonal swing
Skylight flashing takes real punishment in central Indiana's climate — the same freeze-thaw cycle that stresses roof flashing generally is concentrated around a skylight curb, since it's a raised penetration through the roof deck with more edges for water and ice to work against.
Older skylight units, especially ones installed more than 15 to 20 years ago, often have degraded seals even if the flashing is sound. In those cases, we'll usually recommend replacing the unit alongside a reflash, since doing one without the other tends to shift the leak risk rather than remove it.