Edmonton Skylight Installation | Mistakes Roofers Make That Can Cause Costly Damage To Your Home
Hi there! Welcome back to the Alberta Skylights YouTube channel. My name is Trevor, and I’m here with Ryan. Ryan is the owner, operator, and chief of Alberta Skylights and the Edmonton Skylight Specialist. Today, we’re going to talk about a common concern with Edmonton skylight installations: Do skylights always leak? Or is that just a myth?
Edmonton Skylight Specialist Answers: Do Skylights Always Leak?
Trevor: Ryan, let’s jump into it. You were telling me about an experience you had the other day. You were on social media, and someone in a forum was saying that skylights always leak.
Ryan: Yep, I hear it all the time—”Skylights always leak.” But is that true? No, it’s not.
Trevor: What do you mean it’s not true?
Ryan: We deal with skylights every day, and people call us when they have problems. But the real question is—Is it actually the skylight that’s leaking? In my experience, it’s pretty rare for a properly installed skylight to leak. What we see most often is poor installation practices.
People get a skylight, then they replace the roof. The roofing contractors look at it and say, “Oh yeah, the skylight is fine.” Then they go ahead and install the new roof, and suddenly there are problems. Who gets blamed? The skylight. The roofing contractor doesn’t want to go back and fix it, so they say, “Skylights always leak.”
Common Installation Mistakes
Trevor: So the roofing guy comes in, replaces the roof, and doesn’t address the issues surrounding the skylight—like underlayment, flashing, and properly integrating shingles around the skylight. What do you do when this happens? How much do you have to peel back to fix it?
Ryan: Typically, when we replace or try to fix a skylight, it’s already too late to save it. Most of the time, when someone calls us for a skylight problem, it’s because their skylight is already 20+ years old. The life expectancy of a skylight is around 15 to 20 years—the same as an average roof. So when you’re getting your roof replaced, that’s the ideal time to replace your skylight. If you don’t, you’re just asking for problems.
When we come in after the fact, we take the skylight off, remove all the surrounding shingles, and strip out the old flashings. We take it all the way down to the bare wood to assess the situation properly. Then, we waterproof everything, install new flashings, put in a new skylight, and put it all back together. Once that’s done, the problem is solved.
Worst-Case Scenarios
Trevor: What are some worst-case scenarios you’ve seen with leaking skylights?
Ryan: First, let’s define “leak.” A leak, in its purest definition, is water coming from outside to inside. Skylights are also prone to condensation, which is not technically a leak, but people often mistake it for one.
When I see leaking skylights, it usually comes down to a few common issues:
- Failing Flashings: The flashings should have been replaced 15 years ago, but they weren’t. We had one case recently where the homeowner had a brand-new roof installed. A year later, their skylight started leaking. The roofing contractor said, “Skylights always leak.” When we got there, we found that the flashing was rusted right through. The skylight itself wasn’t leaking—it was the flashings that failed.
- Improper Skylight Installation: Some contractors just try to tuck their membranes as close as they can, but it doesn’t always work.
- Acrylic Skylight Cracking: Over time, acrylic skylights are prone to cracking due to UV exposure. When they dry out and crack, water gets between the two panes—that’s an actual skylight leak.
Condensation Issues
Trevor: You mentioned condensation. How does that play a role?
Ryan: Acrylic skylights are inefficient when it comes to insulation. They often develop condensation, which can make it look like they’re leaking. We had a case recently where a homeowner was selling their house. The inspector noticed the skylights were full of water and condensation. The roofing contractors had replaced the flashings properly, but they overtightened the skylights, twisting the frames and splitting the skylights.
So even though the roofers did a good job on the flashing, they didn’t know how to reinstall the skylights properly. We had to rip everything out and redo it.
Velux Skylights vs. Acrylic Skylights
Trevor: You install Velux skylights. How do they compare to these older acrylic skylights?
Ryan: Velux skylights are built with glass, not acrylic, and the difference is huge. The old acrylic skylights had aluminum frames that ran from the outside to the inside of the house. That created a major heat transfer issue, leading to frost and condensation buildup. Acrylic skylights also can’t be fully sealed together because they need to move independently—otherwise, they’ll crack. Over time, the sealant dries up, and the skylight shifts, causing cracks.
Velux skylights, on the other hand, are dual-pane glass with argon gas and a triple low-E coating. The glass is much stronger—laminated on the inside, tempered on the outside, and held together with structural glazing. It’s similar to what you’d see in high-rise buildings. The benefits? Less noise, better insulation, and significantly reduced heat transfer.
Upgrading to Modern Skylights
Trevor: So if someone is experiencing skylight issues, they should consider upgrading?
Ryan: Absolutely. If your skylight is 20+ years old and you’re replacing your roof, it’s the perfect time to upgrade. Many of the skylights installed in the 80s and 90s were acrylic. Back then, there weren’t many options. But technology has improved dramatically. Instead of sticking with an outdated, inefficient skylight, upgrade to a high-performance glass model.
Trevor: Kind of like going from a rotary phone to a smartphone?
Ryan: Exactly. Nobody uses a rotary phone anymore, right? There might be one or two collectors out there, but most people have moved on.
Trevor: Great analogy.
Ryan: My daughter and I once worked on an old ’84 Chevette as a project. It was fun, but there are much better cars out there. The same goes for skylights—you can hold on to the old one, but why would you when there are vastly better options available?
A Real-World Example
Ryan: We did a project two years ago where a homeowner had an addition built onto her kitchen. It was always dark, so she wanted skylights. However, the energy auditor told her, “You’re crazy! Skylights always leak!” But she wanted the light, so we installed high-quality Velux skylights, insulated the curbs, and used high-density cellulose insulation.
After we finished, she had another energy audit done. The auditor was blown away—there was zero detectable heat loss. That’s the power of modern skylight technology.
Edmonton Skylight Specialist Has Final Thoughts
Trevor: That’s a great story. So, if someone has a skylight and is thinking about upgrading, the guy to call is Ryan from Alberta Skylights. You serve Edmonton and surrounding areas, right?
Ryan: That’s right. If you need a skylight replacement, we can help—almost any time of the year. Winter installations can be a bit challenging because of the cold, but we can at least assess your situation and help you plan for the best solution.
Trevor: And you also install sun tunnels. We’ll cover those in another video.
Ryan: Yep, sun tunnels are another great option for bringing in natural light.
Trevor: Thanks for sharing your insight today, Ryan.
Ryan: Thanks for having me!
If you have any questions about Edmonton skylight installations, contact Ryan at Alberta Skylights Elite Roofing today!