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Repairing Skylight Leaks in Florida: Sealants, Flashing & Lasting Fixes ☀️
Skylights bring natural light and an open feel to Florida homes, but they can also become leak hotspots under heavy rain or swirling storm winds. If your skylight’s flashing, sealant, or glass edges degrade in Florida’s humid, UV-intensive climate, water sneaks in—causing unsightly ceiling stains or moldy insulation. The fix isn’t just slapping on more caulk. Lasting repairs demand correct flashing methods, choosing sealants that handle Florida’s temperature swings, and addressing any condensation or drainage issues unique to skylights. In this blog, we’ll detail how to spot skylight leak triggers, the best materials and steps for a thorough repair, and tips to keep your overhead window drip-free even through Florida’s next torrential downpour. Whether you have an older acrylic skylight or a modern glass model, these guidelines ensure you can enjoy the sunshine above without water infiltrating below.
1. Common Causes of Skylight Leaks in Florida
Skylights often fail in Florida due to a mix of moisture and UV factors:
- Worn Flashing: The metal or membrane around the skylight curb can corrode in salt air (coastal regions) or lift if adhesives degrade under intense sunlight.
- Cracked Sealant/Gaskets: The rubber gasket sealing glass edges or the curb perimeter dries out from UV exposure. Tiny cracks let water seep in during rainstorms.
- Condensation vs. Actual Leaks: Florida’s humidity can produce interior skylight condensation that mimics a leak. If your skylight lens is significantly cooler (like during AC usage at night), water can drip from inside. Good attic ventilation helps reduce this effect.
- Installation Errors: A poorly integrated curb or inadequate overlap of roofing materials around the skylight can cause immediate or early leaks. Florida’s wind-driven rain easily finds these gaps.
Don’t assume any overhead drip is just condensation: confirm if the curb flashing or surrounding shingles are compromised. Quick patch jobs might do more harm if the root issue—like a failing gasket or rotted curb wood—remains. Understanding exactly how water gets in is the first step to a thorough, lasting fix under Florida’s climate extremes.
2. Diagnosing the Leak
Before you climb on the roof with sealant in hand, pin down the exact source of water intrusion:
Interior Inspection:
Check the skylight’s interior trim for discoloration or dampness around corners. If water beads near the glass edges after cool nights, it might be condensation. But if you notice damp drywall along the curb or roof deck, it’s likely an external leak.
Attic/Deck Examination:
If accessible, look at the underside of the skylight opening. Water stains or darkened wood around the curb points to infiltration at the roof level. Follow any drip paths to see if they start near flashing or travel from higher on the roof.
Exterior Hose Test (When Safe):
Lightly spray water in increments: start from the lower part of the skylight’s perimeter, then move upward. Observe from inside to see when water appears. This helps isolate if the leak is from flashing at the base or edges, or from the skylight top or glass seals.
Check Surrounding Roof Condition:
Loose shingles or tile near the skylight can divert water incorrectly. In Florida’s storms, even a minor gap up-slope of the skylight might lead water to the curb seam below.
Once you identify whether it’s the curb, flashing, seal, or roof interface that’s failing, you can choose the right approach—like replacing old flashing, re-gasketing the lens, or reinforcing the surrounding shingles. A targeted fix ensures you won’t waste time patching the wrong spot.
3. Flashing Repairs & Replacement
Flashing is the metal or membrane that seals the gap between the skylight curb and surrounding roof. In Florida’s climate, it must handle:
- Wind-Driven Rain: Gusts can push water up the curb edges. Overlapping step or continuous flashing is critical.
- Salt & Humidity: Aluminum or stainless steel flashing resists corrosion better than basic galvanized steel in coastal areas.
- Thermal Movement: Skylights expand/contract under sun, so flashing must allow movement without opening gaps.
Replacing flashing generally involves removing shingles or tiles around the skylight’s perimeter. Inspect the curb’s integrity—any rotted wood or cracked curb must be fixed first. Then the installer integrates new step flashing with each shingle course or uses a specialized skylight flashing kit. They typically apply a peel-and-stick membrane around the curb base to seal nail holes. If a metal cap flashing is used, ensure it has a 3–4 inch overlap onto the roofing material so water flows away.
Properly done, new flashing often solves leaks for years. If your existing flashing is rusted, bent, or incorrectly overlapped, no sealant alone can fix it—full replacement is more durable, especially under Florida’s intense storms.
4. Gasket & Sealant Solutions
Skylight leaks often stem from failing gaskets or dried-out sealant around the glass or dome edges. For Florida homes:
- Replacing Cracked Gaskets: Some skylights have a removable rubber gasket around the lens. Over time, UV and heat degrade it. Replacing with a new manufacturer-approved gasket or a universal rubber seal can be enough to stop water infiltration.
- High-Grade Roofing Sealants: Generic silicone can degrade faster in Florida’s sun. Opt for polyurethane or tri-polymer sealants specifically rated for roofing, which remain flexible under temperature swings.
- Edge Re-sealing: If the lens or dome meets the curb frame with old sealant, remove the failing material thoroughly. Clean the surface with an appropriate solvent, let it dry, and apply fresh sealant in a smooth bead.
- Check the Skylight Frame Joints: On plastic domes, cracks can form near corners. On glass skylights, metal frames might corrode. Seal or patch these as necessary.
Be mindful that sealing alone won’t fix a deeper structural or flashing problem. But if your skylight’s main issue is an aging gasket or hairline crack in sealant, a well-executed re-seal can do wonders. Combine that with good attic ventilation to minimize condensation, and you’ll keep overhead water drips at bay in Florida’s rainy conditions.
5. Preventing Condensation: Ventilation & Insulation
Not all “leaks” are actually roof failures. Condensation forms when warm, humid interior air contacts the cooler skylight surface, especially during nights or air-conditioned periods:
Improve Attic Ventilation:
Florida’s humidity can accumulate in under-vented attics. Ensure ridge vents, soffit vents, or a powered fan keep air circulating, reducing moisture that condenses on skylight frames.
Insulate Skylight Shaft or Wells:
Many Florida homes have a framed light shaft leading from the skylight to the interior ceiling. Proper insulation around that shaft helps maintain temperature consistency, reducing condensation risk on the skylight surface.
Check Seal of Interior Trim:
Gaps around the skylight’s interior ring can let moist indoor air directly contact colder glass. Sealing trim or installing a vapor barrier around the skylight opening helps.
Use Low-E or Double-Pane Skylights:
Upgrading to insulated glass drastically cuts condensation. The thermal break between glass layers reduces the interior surface from hitting the dew point easily.
If water only appears during cooler nights or certain AC settings, it’s likely condensation. A roofing contractor might confirm your skylight is watertight from above but recommend steps to improve insulation or ventilation. Addressing these details is crucial in Florida’s sweaty climate, where warm moisture-laden air easily finds cooler surfaces to condense upon.
Conclusion
Skylights can brighten a Florida home, but leaks undermine their appeal if flashing, gaskets, or sealants degrade. Properly diagnosing the cause—be it an old curb flashing, failing seal, or mere condensation—guides the correct repair method. In many cases, replacing worn flashing or installing high-grade sealants around the skylight curb resolves water intrusion for years. If humidity is the culprit, improving attic ventilation or upgrading to better-insulated skylights helps. By combining robust materials, mindful installation, and occasional maintenance, you’ll savor the natural light without drip marks or moldy surprises, ensuring your overhead window stays a highlight instead of a headache under Florida’s intense environment.
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