A leaking skylight is usually failed flashing or a failed seal where the unit meets the roof, not broken glass, and sometimes it is condensation that only looks like a leak. Alpha Eagle Roofing traces which it is, reflashes sound units, replaces failed ones with the flashing kit made for your roofing material, and installs new skylights. If a reroof is coming, replacing an older skylight at the same time is the cheapest moment to do it, because its flashing has to come off anyway.
Who this service is for
- Homes with a stain, drip or damp drywall around a skylight.
- Skylights with fogged glass between the panes, or a cracked or yellowed plastic dome.
- Owners planning a roof replacement who have older skylights.
- Owners who want more daylight in a hallway, bathroom or kitchen.
Signs your skylight needs attention
Stains or drips around the opening
Usually flashing or the seal at the curb, especially during wind-driven rain.
Water only on cold mornings
Often condensation on the glass or in the shaft, not a roof leak. Different fix entirely.
Fog between the panes
The insulated glass seal has failed. Reflashing will not fix it; the unit or glass needs replacing.
Cracked, crazed or yellowed dome
Older plastic domes get brittle in the sun and eventually crack.
Soft or stained curb wood
Long-term leaking has reached the wood frame around the opening.
A skylight older than the roof around it
If the roof is being replaced, an aging skylight is best replaced with it.
How we handle a skylight
- Leak or condensation? We look at when and where the water shows up, check the shaft and glass, and inspect the flashing from the roof. A controlled water test confirms a leak when needed.
- Recommend the right fix Reflash and reseal a sound unit, or replace a failed one. We explain why, with photos.
- Choose the unit Sized to the existing opening or curb where possible, with the glazing and options you want, and specified to meet California energy-code requirements for skylights.
- Remove and inspect Old unit and flashing removed, and the curb and deck around the opening checked for rot.
- Waterproof the opening Self-adhered membrane around the curb or frame, lapped so water sheds over it, not into it.
- Install and flash New unit installed to the manufacturer's instructions with the flashing kit made for your roofing material, then the roofing worked back in around it.
- Check and document Water test where practical, inside and out, and before and after photos in your CompanyCam record.
Reflash, reseal or replace?
We would rather reflash a good skylight than sell you a new one, and we will tell you when it is past saving.
Reflash when
The unit itself is sound (clear glass, solid frame) and the leak is at the flashing or the roof around it. New flashing, lapped correctly with the roofing, usually solves it.
Replace when
The glass is fogged, the dome is cracked or brittle, the frame has failed, or the curb has rotted. Reflashing a failed unit only moves the leak.
Condensation is different
Water that appears on cold mornings with no rain is moisture from inside the house condensing on the glass. Better glazing and ventilation help; roofing repairs do not.
Interior repairs
Drywall and paint inside the shaft are not roofing work. We tell you if interior damage needs a drywall or painting contractor after the leak is fixed.
Replace skylights with the roof
The timing question we get most often.
Why together costs less
During a reroof the old flashing around the skylight comes off anyway. Installing a new unit and its flashing kit at that moment avoids cutting into a brand-new roof later.
When it makes sense
If your skylight is original to an older roof, has fogged glass, or has leaked before, replacing it with the roof is usually the better plan.
When to keep it
A newer, sound skylight can stay; we reflash it with new flashing as part of the reroof.
Planning ahead
Skylight units can take time to order. When we price a roof replacement, we tell you whether the skylights should be replaced and order them so they do not delay the job.
Codes, energy and fire zones
A skylight is a hole in the roof and a window at the same time, so both sets of rules apply.
Safety glazing
Building codes require safety glazing in skylights. Units made for residential roofs are built to meet it, and we install them to the manufacturer's instructions.
Title 24 energy rules
California's energy code sets performance requirements for new and replacement skylights. We specify units that meet them so the job passes inspection where one is required.
Fire hazard zones
In designated Fire Hazard Severity Zones, the whole roof assembly, including openings, has to suit wildfire rules. We confirm your parcel's zone during the estimate.
New openings
Adding a skylight where there was none means cutting the roof deck and often the framing. That usually needs a building permit, and sometimes changes to the framing around the opening.
Skylight types: pros and cons
Curb-mounted
Pros
- Sits on a raised curb, which sheds water well
- Often the easiest way to replace an existing curb-mounted unit
- Works on low-slope roofs
Cons
- Taller profile on the roof
- The curb itself must be sound and properly flashed
Deck-mounted
Pros
- Lower, cleaner look on pitched roofs
- Integrated flashing kits made for shingle or tile
Cons
- Needs adequate roof pitch
- Replacing a curb-mounted unit with one changes the opening detail
Venting skylights
Pros
- Let out heat and moisture from kitchens and bathrooms
- Can reduce condensation
Cons
- More parts to maintain
- Higher cost than fixed units
Tubular skylights
Pros
- Bring daylight into small or interior rooms
- Small roof opening and shorter install
Cons
- Light only, no view
- Less light than a full skylight
Glass skylights with modern glazing generally outlast and outperform old plastic domes. We will go through options that fit your opening and roof.
Thanks. Your request is in.
We will text you to confirm.
Active leak? Our 24/7 emergency line is (415) 410-7917. Call now and we will prioritize your request.
Call (415) 410-7917What affects the cost
We do not publish skylight prices, because the unit, the opening and the roof around it vary a lot. Your written estimate is built from these factors:
- Reflash and reseal, or full replacement
- Skylight type, size and glazing, and venting options
- Curb or deck-mounted, and whether the opening detail changes
- Roofing material around the opening (tile and slate take more care)
- Curb, frame or deck repairs found when the old unit comes out
- Roof height, pitch and access
- For new openings: framing changes and the building permit
- Doing the work during a reroof versus on its own
Timeline, permits and inspection
How long it takes
Reflashing is usually a single visit. A replacement is usually installed in a day once the unit has arrived; ordering times vary by unit. A new opening takes longer because of framing and permit timing.
Permits and final inspection
Reflashing does not usually need a permit. Skylight replacement and new openings may, depending on your city and the scope; we tell you which applies and pull the permit when one is required. When skylights are replaced during a reroof, the work is part of the reroof permit.
Warranty and photo documentation
Written warranty
Every job we do comes with a written workmanship warranty, and the roofing materials carry their own manufacturer warranty on top of that. The exact terms for your job are written into your contract before any work starts, so you know what is covered and for how long before you sign. See our warranty page for how our warranty works.
Every job photographed in CompanyCam
We document every job in CompanyCam: before photos, in-progress photos of the work that ends up hidden (decking, underlayment, flashing), and after photos. That photo record is useful long after we leave, for an insurance claim, a warranty question, or a buyer's inspector when you sell. We can share it with you on request. See finished work in our project gallery.
Your protections under California law
Check the license.
Roofing in California must be done by a contractor licensed by the Contractors State License Board. Ours is CSLB #1148511, Class C-39 (Roofing). You can look up any contractor at cslb.ca.gov.
The down payment is capped by law.
On a home improvement contract, a California contractor may not ask for a down payment of more than $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less.
Payments should not get ahead of the work.
Progress payments are supposed to track work actually completed and materials delivered, not run ahead of them.
You have a right to cancel.
California home improvement contracts must include a written notice of your right to cancel, generally within three business days of signing (seniors get a longer window).
Everything in writing.
Scope, materials, schedule, payment schedule, and warranty belong in the written contract. We price every job from an inspection, in writing, so there is nothing to argue about later.
Frequently asked questions
Can you fix a leaking skylight without replacing it?
Often. Most skylight leaks come from flashing or seals at the roof opening. If the unit is sound, reflashing usually solves it. Fogged glass, a cracked dome or a failed frame means replacement.
How do I know if it is a leak or condensation?
Condensation shows up on cold mornings, often with no rain, and forms on the inside of the glass. A leak follows rain, especially wind-driven rain. We check both before recommending anything.
Should I replace my skylights when I replace my roof?
If they are original to an older roof, fogged, or have leaked before, usually yes. The old flashing comes off anyway during a reroof, so it is the least expensive time to do it.
Do you install new skylights where there was none?
Yes. A new opening means cutting the roof deck and often adjusting the framing, so it usually needs a building permit. We confirm the structure and the permit before we start.
Can a curb-mounted skylight be replaced with a deck-mounted one?
Often, on roofs with enough pitch. It changes the opening detail, so we look at the framing and roofing before recommending it.
Do skylights need permits?
Reflashing usually does not. Replacements and new openings may, depending on your city and the scope. We pull the permit when one is required.
Will the new skylight be warrantied?
Our installation carries a written workmanship warranty, and the skylight carries the manufacturer's warranty. The terms are written into your contract before work starts.
