Finding the source of a skylight leak is not always easy as the leak usually happens away from the source. Water may be coming from broken, worn or missing shingles or from corroded or poorly sealed metal flashing around the skylight. In case of a skylight leak, instead of panicking, seek professional help. Delaying the skylight leak fix may cause serious damage to your property and belongings.
It is essential to call a professional roofer or roof leak repair company in order to find the location of the water leak. It may be possible to seal the skylight with silicone caulk or a mineral sealant. This will hopefully stop the water from leaking out of the skylight. There may be a sign that indicates whether your skylight leaks are coming from the flashing around it, rivets or even other types of metal parts.
Detecting the Leak in a Skylight
Skylights are meant to let the extra light into your space. As these skylights are penetrated into the roof, leaks are inevitable if the installation is not done right. Usually, water collects on the top of the skylight, and if the sides of the skylight are not sealed properly, water will eventually find a way through the skylight to the room below.
A leaking skylight may also cause problems such as rust stains, mold and mildew to grow around it.
Why do Skylights Leak?
There are many possible reasons for leaks in skylights, but the most common ones are:
Damaged flashing: Instead of being sealed properly around the skylight, the metal flashing that goes around your skylight may have been installed poorly. In some cases, this flashing was damaged or not sealed properly during installation. As a result, water managed to sneak inside through this area and eventually managed to fall through the gaps on its way outside.
Skylight leaking from inside: Sometimes, the reason behind the skylight leak is not the flashing around it. The water may come out of small cracks in your skylight. This is a very serious problem and should be considered an emergency.
In order to stop a skylight leak, it is essential to first know what is causing the leak in your skylight. After you have pinpointed the problem, you can easily identify and fix it accordingly.