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Last fall I paid a roofer $2300 to fix a leak in my skylights. No other roofer would bother to come out unless we needed an entire new roof. He said the work was guaranteed for 1 year. He replaced the shingles around the skylights but not shingles below the lights. Now it's spring and there is a leak further down the ceiling. I'm not sure if it's a different leak or if the water just moved down. He came back once and said he honestly doesn't know why it is leaking. He couldn't find anything wrong with the shingles or around the skylights. I texted him again and he said he'll come back again but it doesn't sound like he'll do anything.
I kinda want to go nuclear and get a new metal roof. But I guess those can still leak as well. Would getting a metal roof on the bottom part of the roof help at all? Or should I get rid of the skylights and have them closed up by a construction company?
I'd like to get solar panels but I don't trust this roof. It's only 8 years old according to the previous owner. The roofer even said it wasn't worth replacing the whole thing, only repairing the lower part where it's leaking. But I've already paid $2300 and it's still leaking. Ugh.
No, a metal roof won't necessarily prevent leaks. They can be designed and installed incorrectly too. Ask me why I know...
Leaks can be difficult to trace back to the source. Water can travel a long way. The actual roof problem producing the leak could be upslope, even to one side of a skylight.
I owned a custom build house (briefly thank goodness) that was originally outfitted with multiple skylights. The spouse of the original owner/builder was an artist who wanted as much daylight as possible. Based on the other rather weird "choices" these people made I'm sure they weren't perfectly designed or executed. The house probably had a metal roof from the get go too. A subsequent owner closed over all the skylights probably in an attempt to cure leaks. Long time neighbors I met recalled tales about how much trouble they caused. You could see where they used to be because of the rectangular patches in the ceiling drywall. The true problem turned out to be the roof itself. The yahoo who built the place and who even hung out a shingle offering his roofing services to the unsuspecting public didn't know enough to put the roof on his own house correctly. I had the roof replaced and the extent of his ignorance all came to light.
Last edited by Parnassia; 03-27-2022 at 04:01 PM..
No, a metal roof won't necessarily prevent leaks. They can be designed and installed incorrectly too. Ask me why I know...
Leaks can be difficult to trace back to the source. Water can travel a long way. The actual roof problem producing the leak could be upslope, even to one side of a skylight.
I owned a custom build house (briefly thank goodness) that was originally outfitted with multiple skylights. The spouse of the original owner/builder was an artist who wanted as much daylight as possible. Based on the other rather weird "choices" these people made I'm sure they weren't perfectly designed or executed. The house probably had a metal roof from the get go too. A subsequent owner closed over all the skylights probably in an attempt to cure leaks. Long time neighbors I met recalled tales about how much trouble they caused. You could see where they used to be because of the rectangular patches in the ceiling drywall. The true problem turned out to be the roof itself. The yahoo who built the place and who even hung out a shingle offering his roofing services to the unsuspecting public didn't know enough to put the roof on his own house correctly. I had the roof replaced and the extent of his ignorance all came to light.
Any suggestions for me? Should I bite the bullet and get a new roof for peace of mind? I'd like to get solar panels since I have a plugin vehicle now.
My motto has always been....There are no good holes in a roof.... whether its a chimney, dormer, skylight or satellite mounting holes... they are all gonna eventually leak. You just have to hope you catch it in its infancy. I'm not even gonna start about caulk, roofing patch or flex seal.... temporary hope....wind, rain, ice, intense heat..... ughhh...
What’s the specific type of the skylights, do they just have a flat flange all around or are they they better type with step flashing like the Velux or Sun-Tek that are basically curb mounted?
If the skylight was not installed correctly to begin with, it can be nearly impossible to correct and many repairs are are not accomplished correctly but rather caulked (band-aided) and often leak again.
As others have mentioned, it’s probably not your roof/shingles that’s leaking but rather the skylight/roof penetration and the water is traveling down the slope under the shingles.
So my best bet would be to get rid of the skylights? I don't know what kind I have. I can't figure out how to attach an image.
Yes, if they are older ones without a curb or step flashing, it’s probably best to get rid of them. Most all roof shingles leaks occur at areas that are flashed or at roof penetrations.
I know plenty of builders who would never install skylights on the roof of their own house due to future leaking or other issues.
I bought a house a couple years ago that came with a skylight in the master bedroom (dumb location for a skylight...in a bedroom?! Sun? Rain? Hail? Leak issues?). Why would anyone put extra holes in a roof? Makes no sense to me. I installed a shade in the opening (to help with sunlight but doesn't help with sounds) but I'm replacing the roof next year and can't wait to get rid of this skylight.
I sure would not pay for an entire new roof just because a skylight is leaking. Properly installed skylights don't leak. My parents had two skylights in their den, even 20 years later, not a single leak, ever. It was an excellent builder, though, rather "high end".
Any suggestions for me? Should I bite the bullet and get a new roof for peace of mind? I'd like to get solar panels since I have a plugin vehicle now.
I have no idea. I am not a roofer and I can't see your house. I would suggest getting a reputable roofer to do a thorough inspection of the roof itself. Especially if you're also considering cutting even more holes in it to install more stuff. Its possible that will expose a problem that contributed to or lead to a leaking skylight. I understand you said you couldn't get any roofers to come look at your skylight, but maybe if you approach it from a whole roof standpoint, you can get valuable information from one.
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