Skylight Repair
& Installation
Your skylight is probably not leaking. The flashing around it almost certainly is — and that's why the last repair didn't hold.
It's Almost Never
the Skylight
A skylight is a sealed unit of glass or acrylic in a frame. On its own it doesn't leak — glass doesn't develop holes.
What leaks is the connection between the skylight and your roof: the flashing kit, the curb it sits on, and the way the roof covering was detailed around it. That's a roofing assembly, not a window.
Which explains the most common outcome we're called in to fix. A homeowner has a leaking skylight, a company replaces the unit, and six months later it leaks again — because the flashing was never touched.
If your skylight has been "repaired" before and it's leaking again, that's what happened. The fix is a properly installed flashing kit, integrated with the roof covering in the right sequence. It costs less than replacing the unit and it actually works.
Is It a Leak,
or Condensation?
These get confused constantly, and they need completely different fixes. Five minutes with this will tell you which you have.
Probably a Leak
- Water appears during or shortly after rain
- Staining on the ceiling around the skylight shaft, not just on the glass
- Dripping from a corner or edge of the frame
- Discolouration spreading outward over time
- Happens regardless of how humid it is inside
- Worse in wind-driven rain from one direction
Probably Condensation
- Moisture appears on cool mornings with no rain
- Water sits on the glass and runs down the inside face
- Worse in kitchens and bathrooms
- Worse when the AC is running hard
- Clears as the day warms up
- No staining spreading into the surrounding ceiling
Condensation on an older skylight can also mean the seal between panes has failed — you'll see fogging between the glass layers that never clears. That does need the unit replaced, and it's the one condensation problem a roofer can fix.
Skylights Don't Last
as Long as Roofs
A quality skylight gives you somewhere around 20 to 25 years before seals and gaskets begin to fail. Your tile or metal roof will outlive it by decades.
That mismatch creates a decision point most homeowners never get told about.
If you're re-roofing and your skylight is fifteen years old or more, replace it during the re-roof. The flashing has to come out anyway, the roof is already open, and the crew is already there. The additional cost is a fraction of what the same job costs later.
Do it five years afterwards and someone has to cut into a roof that's currently sound — remove covering, remove flashing, install new, reintegrate. On a tile roof that's genuinely disruptive, and it means breaking into a system that was working.
We raise this on every re-roof estimate where there's a skylight. Sometimes the answer is that the unit is newer and fine. Sometimes it saves a homeowner a job they'd otherwise be paying for twice.
![Skylight Installation by Expert Roofing Services](https://expertroofingfl.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Skylight-Repair-Palm-Beach.jpg")
Your Skylight Counts
as an Opening
On a Florida wind mitigation report, opening protection is one of the largest single credits available. It covers windows, doors — and skylights.
The critical detail is that the credit generally requires every opening to be protected. One non-impact-rated skylight can be enough to lose it, no matter how good the rest of the house is.
If you've had impact windows fitted and you're not seeing the credit you expected, an unprotected skylight is worth checking. It's a common gap, and it's fixable — impact-rated skylights are readily available and typically cost little more than standard units.
Ask Your Inspector
We'd recommend confirming this with whoever completes your wind mitigation inspection before making a decision on it — requirements are specific and worth getting confirmed for your property rather than assumed.
But it's a question most homeowners never think to ask, and on a house with impact windows already fitted, the answer can be worth considerably more than the skylight cost.
What We Install
Fixed Skylight
Sealed and non-opening. The simplest unit, with the fewest failure points and the lowest cost. Maximum light for the money.
Best for: living rooms, hallways, stairwells, and anywhere you want light rather than airflow.
Vented Skylight
Opens to release warm air and moisture. Manual crank or electric, with rain sensors that close it automatically on most powered units.
Best for: kitchens and bathrooms, where moisture is the reason you'd want one.
Solar-Powered Vented
Opens and closes on a solar panel and battery, so there's no wiring to run. Rain sensor included as standard on most models.
Best for: retrofits where running power to the roof would be expensive or disruptive.
Sun Tunnel
A reflective tube carrying daylight from a small roof dome into a room below. Far less roof penetration, far less heat gain, and no structural framing needed.
Best for: interior bathrooms, closets, and hallways with no exterior wall. Often the right answer where a full skylight isn't.
Impact-Rated and Florida Approved
We install Sun-Tek and other systems carrying current Florida Product Approval, with Miami-Dade approved configurations available for high-velocity hurricane zones.
Ask any contractor for the approval number covering the exact unit they're quoting. On a skylight in a Florida wind zone, that's not a technicality — it's what determines whether it passes inspection and whether it counts as a protected opening.
How a Skylight
Job Runs
We diagnose before quoting
Leak or condensation, unit or flashing, seal failure or roofing failure. Getting this right is most of the job — and it's why we inspect the roof and the interior rather than just looking at the skylight.
We check the surrounding roof
Water tracks. A stain near a skylight sometimes comes from a valley or a pipe boot several feet uphill. We rule that out before touching anything.
Unit and specification
Fixed, vented, solar, or sun tunnel — with the Florida Product Approval and impact rating confirmed for your wind zone. Physical samples where it helps.
Curb and opening prepared
On a new installation, framing and curb built to spec — our general contractor licence covers the structural work. On a replacement, the existing curb inspected and repaired if it's soft.
Flashing kit, in the right sequence
Step flashing integrated with the roof covering course by course, in the manufacturer's specified order. This is the step that decides whether it leaks. Sealant is not a substitute for correct sequencing, and a bead of caulk around a skylight is a sign someone got this wrong.
Water tested, interior finished
Water run over it before we call it done. Interior shaft finished and made good where required.
When We'd Say Don't
If your roof is due for replacement within a couple of years, wait. A new skylight installed now means paying for the flashing twice — once now and again when the roof comes off. We'd rather tell you that than take the job.
If you want a skylight in a small interior room, a sun tunnel is usually better and considerably cheaper. Less roof penetration, less heat gain, no framing required. We install both and we'll tell you which suits the room.
And if the leak isn't the skylight at all — which happens more often than you'd think — we'll show you where the water is actually coming from rather than replacing a unit that was never the problem.
About Heat
A skylight is a hole in your insulation. Even a well-specified unit lets more heat in than the roof around it, and in a Florida August that's noticeable in the room below.
Specification matters more here than anywhere. Low-E coated glass, proper glazing, and correct placement relative to sun path all make a real difference — as does simply not putting a large fixed skylight on a west-facing plane. We'll talk through orientation before you commit to a position.
What Makes Us Different
We Fix the Flashing
Because that's what leaks. Replacing a sound unit and leaving the flashing untouched is why so many skylight repairs come back.
We Rule Out the Roof First
Water tracks. A stain near a skylight often starts several feet uphill. We check before we quote.
Two State Licenses
Roofing CCC1332394 and general contracting CGC1533052. Framing, curb work, and interior shaft finishing handled directly.
Approval Numbers on Request
Florida Product Approval for the exact unit we're quoting, with Miami-Dade configurations where your zone requires them.
We Raise It at Re-Roof
If your skylight is aging and the roof is coming off, we'll tell you. Doing it later costs considerably more.
Family-Owned, Owner-Run
This is a family-owned business. Ronny Hanna quotes the work, oversees the crews, and answers the phone himself.
Skylight FAQs
Why does my skylight leak when it rains?
Almost always the flashing rather than the skylight. A skylight is a sealed unit — glass doesn't develop holes. What fails is the connection between the unit and your roof: the flashing kit, the curb, or how the roof covering was detailed around it. If a previous repair replaced the unit and the leak returned, that's why.
Is my skylight leaking or is it condensation?
Water appearing during rain, with staining spreading into the ceiling around the shaft, is a leak. Moisture on the glass on cool mornings with no rain, which clears as the day warms, is condensation — usually a ventilation issue. Persistent fogging between the panes of glass that never clears means the seal has failed and the unit needs replacing.
How long does a skylight last?
Roughly 20 to 25 years for a quality unit before seals and gaskets start to fail. That's considerably less than a tile or metal roof, which is why timing matters — if your roof is being replaced and the skylight is fifteen years old or more, replacing it at the same time costs a fraction of doing it separately later.
Should I replace my skylight when I re-roof?
If it's aging, yes. The flashing has to come out during a re-roof regardless, the roof is already open, and the crew is already there. Doing it five years later means cutting into a sound roof — removing covering, removing flashing, reintegrating — which on tile is genuinely disruptive and considerably more expensive. We raise this on every re-roof estimate where there's a skylight.
Can a skylight affect my insurance?
Potentially. On a Florida wind mitigation report, opening protection is one of the largest credits available and it covers skylights alongside windows and doors. The credit generally requires every opening to be protected, so a non-impact-rated skylight can be enough to lose it. Worth confirming with whoever performs your wind mitigation inspection — it's a question most homeowners never think to ask.
What's a sun tunnel and is it better?
A reflective tube that carries daylight from a small roof dome into the room below. It's often the better answer for interior bathrooms, closets, and hallways — much less roof penetration, considerably less heat gain, no structural framing required, and lower cost. It won't give you a view of the sky, but for pure daylight in a small space it usually wins.
Will a skylight make the room hotter?
Somewhat, yes — a skylight is effectively a hole in your insulation. Low-E coated glass and correct specification reduce it substantially, and orientation matters a great deal. A large fixed skylight on a west-facing plane in Florida will be felt. We talk through position and glazing before anyone commits to a location.
Which areas do you serve?
We're licensed statewide, with crews working regularly through Martin, St. Lucie, Palm Beach, Broward, and Southwest Florida — including Stuart, Palm City, Port St. Lucie, Jupiter, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Naples, and Fort Myers.
Related
Water stain near a skylight but you're not sure it's the skylight? Roof leak repair — water travels, and the source is often several feet uphill. Water coming in right now: emergency roof repair, answered 24 hours.
Planning a re-roof? See residential roof replacement — and raise the skylight then, because it's the cheapest time to deal with it. Worth also booking a wind mitigation inspection to check where your opening protection stands.
Find Out What's
Actually Leaking
Free inspection covering the skylight, the flashing, and the roof around it — with photographs and an honest answer about whether you need a new unit at all.