Skylights are a fantastic feature for many homes. Many homeowners love their skylight, and for good reason. Skylights bring in natural light, saving you money on electricity without compromising your privacy. These features are timeless and are a highlight of many homes around the globe. Despite their popularity, there is a lot about the installation and replacement processes 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.
Replace with your roof
Whenever you can, it’s best to replace your skylight during a roof replacement. This is important for several reasons, including:
- More reliable seal. It is extremely difficult to create a water-tight seal on your skylight without replacing the entire roof. A good seal is part of the roof as a whole, and separating the two only leaves more room for leaks.
- It’s more cost-effective. Prices for skylight replacement go up if you are doing it separately from your roof replacement.
- Both your roof and your skylight eventually need replacement. Neither of these features of a home lasts forever. If you replace your roof and not your skylight, you are simply offsetting the replacement times for each and creating unreliable overhead protection.
- Mixing old and new materials causes leaks. It’s natural for wear and tear to occur over time. Generally, your skylight and your roof go through wear and tear together. Replacing your roof without your skylight creates an ill-fitting, old skylight, which can create damage to your new roof and cause leaks that could damage your home.
- It preserves your investment. Replacing either your skylight or roof without the other one only opens you up to liability when the other one needs replacing. The replacement for one will likely damage the other, depreciating the quality of both. Spend a little bit extra to ensure that your money is put toward quality work and that your investment is protected.
Understanding that a roof and a skylight should not be replaced independently of one another can feel intimidating. However, this is the best method for the overall health, safety, and longevity of your home.
Cost
If you decide to replace your skylight separately from your roof, it’s likely to cost you between $800 and $1500. This cost varies based on several factors, including the location of the skylight, condition of the skylight and roof, size of the skylight, and level of risk for the roofer. It can be frustrating not to know how much a project will cost, but accuracy is impossible without understanding all parts of your situation. A professional will be able to give you an accurate estimate for the job. Don’t forget to shop around to find the best prices and service, as you would with any other investment.
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 a 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.
Trust a professional
Though 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’s 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 your safety. Call a professional for all of your roofing needs.
Call Able Roof
For the best roofing and skylight repairs in the state of Ohio, contact the experts at Able Roof. In our 30 years of business, we’ve replaced over 50,000 roofs and done over 10,000 exterior remodels. Our expertise allows us to give you the best quality service in the area and gives us a deep understanding of the ins and outs of roofing in a volatile climate such as the Midwest. We have family values and prioritize giving our customers great service, so you can rest assured that your roofing job will be done correctly when you call Able Roof. Don’t hesitate, call today.
