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October 28, 2009
Skylight Question
Denton mentioned in a recent post about heat loss through a skylight. I know that part of my upstairs tenant's heat issues have to do with a leaky skylight. I could probably get on a ladder and try myself, but there might be somebody out there who actually repairs, caulks, replaces glass panels on skylights. I suspect that this is a big problem upstairs. I wonder if Denton or any other brownstoners have found good, inexpensive solutions and/ or tradespeople who can deal with leaky skylights. Thanks very much.
Comments
One low-cost solution: oftentimes people have frames or build frames inside the building at the base of the skylight. When winter rolls around, seal the skylight by attaching plastic sheeting and weatherstripping, or by sliding plexiglass into the frame for the winter.
Posted by: vinca at October 28, 2009 12:44 AM
vinca, I've read that before and it seems like a good idea in my case. Do you (or anyone) know of a contractor who has done that?
With my skylite it's not that it's leaky, (altho it probably is), it's that it is vented to allow heat to rise and escape. Great in the summer, I suppose.
Posted by: denton at October 28, 2009 4:35 AM
We have this same problem in the winter and there is a simple solution. Go up to the roof and tape up the vents with all weather tape - then remove it in the Spring. It makes a huge difference and it takes about 15 minutes.
Posted by: jimartin at October 28, 2009 9:54 AM
We have covered a skylight in heavy plastic, with duct tape around the bottom. It worked to keep out water, but you have to weight it somehow so that it doesn't fly off in windy weather. We replaced the skylight with a new one as soon as we could and that fixed a lot of it.
Interestingly, it wasn't for lack of caulk that the old one leaked. I think it was from TOO MUCH crap inside the channels in which water is supposed to drain down. The caulk actually made the problem worse in a way.
Posted by: Stonergut at October 28, 2009 10:15 AM
on this same subject...anyone have luck taping up/blocking the skylight vents from the inside? I have a hell of a time getting on my roof.
Posted by: MAT at October 28, 2009 10:16 AM
We have 2 old skylights in our kitchen which have sides that crank open. When it starts getting cold my husband seals the entire skylight with picture window insulating kits. It's a thin plastic sheet which you tape around the opening and then blow dry until it's taught. Very effective, very cheap, and once he figured out that three strips of tape would hold for the whole winter (one strip and a good windy storm would open the thing up), lasts the whole season. It tightens up really well, so is virtually invisible. We do occasionally get rain drops, snow flakes, or dirt coming through and lying on top, though. Our contractor suggested a wooden frame and plexiglass insert, but I feel like this is tighter and more effective.
Posted by: mshook at October 28, 2009 10:24 AM
I have 2 in my master bath. One is a new replacement so no vents or leaks. The older one is the taller style and has the vents on the side. I wrapped the sides with foam board insulation and taped all the joints (use the Aluminum tape, not the plasric duct tape). The do as vinca suggested and pit a piece of plexiglass at the top of the chase to act as another layer of insulation.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 28, 2009 11:28 AM
Denton: our skylight has some molding half-way up the chase, similar to picture molding. Maybe it once held a stained glass window (unlikely), maybe installed by a previous owner for weatherproofing. The overall opening's approx. 4-1/2 x 6. We just flex two pieces of plexi into the space, overlapping each other and resting on the ledge of the molding. Obviously, our is a heat-loss reduction rather than weathertight approach. Installation would not be a big project: some wood, some screws, maybe some anchors, a ladder, drill and a level. I've given occasional thought to building something more permanent by either installing aluminum channel or some sort of hinged contraption that would hold the plexi year-round. Would rather spend my time finding and installing a new piece of stained glass. DIBS solution sounds great, and same for suggestions to tightly wrap the skylight from outside.
Posted by: vinca at October 28, 2009 11:54 AM
Plastic Land on Church St. can cut plexi to your dimensions. Just screw some 1x2's into the inside of the chase and rest the plexi on top of that simple frame. You have to clean it once or twice a year, but overall the whole project is pretty easy.
Posted by: wyckoff at October 28, 2009 12:44 PM
The area under the skylight is called a laylight & they often have a frame that you can put a piece of plexi into. It cuts down drafts & convection really well.
Posted by: Arkady at October 28, 2009 1:03 PM
Use bubble wrap instead of plastic sheeting. The air bubbles really help insulate, obviously.
Posted by: modsquad at October 28, 2009 1:18 PM
Thanks very much for all of the suggestions and information. I think that the plexiglass idea is an excellent one and I will check out the suggestions. Also, sealing the glass makes sense too from the outside. I think the first step is both getting on the roof to seal from the outside and then measure for a piece of plexiglass on the inside to further insulate the apartment from the elements. We have been struggling with the top floor apartment's heat in transitional October for a while and after fixing the valves on the ground floor and upper floors, I hope that this will resolve the heat loss.
Thank you.
Posted by: donatella at October 28, 2009 2:22 PM
not a fan of skylights, especially on attached homes. you have no clue or control over who can be peeping in at you above!! no thanks! unless they make curtains for them, which ive never seen, and i dont think they'd work because of gravity
*rob*
Posted by: Butterfly at October 28, 2009 2:47 PM
Ha ha ha Rob. It is a problem around Christmas time, when Santa visits.
Posted by: mopar at October 28, 2009 2:53 PM
mopar, thank goodness you have a sense of humor.
Posted by: denton at October 28, 2009 5:45 PM
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