How do I access the stain glass window in my skylight?
Ok, we have a stained glass panel in our skylight, it’s really dirty, and does not let much light in. I tried going on to the roof to access it only to find that the skylight enclosure sealed with tar. I tried to lift it. No go. Getting at it from inside is an option,…
Ok, we have a stained glass panel in our skylight, it’s really dirty, and does not let much light in. I tried going on to the roof to access it only to find that the skylight enclosure sealed with tar. I tried to lift it. No go. Getting at it from inside is an option, however it’s located in the center of the stairwell and I have no idea how to do that. It also has this weird wire mesh over it, safety? I would assume you have to access it from the roof. However I have no idea how to do this.
All I know what ever you do don’t get rid of it. I got rid of my stain windows around my 2 family house and replaced it with these new windows. Biggest mistake the stained windows needed repair and the frame around it and we took them out and threw them away. We didn’t know what we know now.
Good luck
Wire mesh under the skylight is to catch the broken glass shards. During a fire, they smash the skylight to vent the smoke and the don’t want to injure other fire personel as they climb the stairs. If this is not a multiple family building public stairwell I would get rid of the mesh. If your house every catches fire, your skylight is a goner anyway.
Wire mesh under a stain-glass skylight! How about putting wire mesh around the inspector.
Over the top, I think.
I recently finished a reno and in order to pass inspection it was mandatory that we have the wire mesh underneath the skylight as a safety measure. You might want to check with DOB.
I installed a new stained glass panel (also obtained from Albert Stained Glass – nice job) using the same method of access as 2:39 describes. Only thing I would add is to put an old towel, folded multiple times, between the to of the extension ladder and the wall in order to avert damage to the plaster.
I would take the wire hardware cloth as a warning that there are some loose pieces of glass.
Might be a good idea to tap lightly at the different pieces of glass to check the integrity of the window. If loose, probably be a good idea to put tape across them to hold into place.
If it’s anything like mine, it just lifts out.
What I do is run an extension ladder from the top landing up against the wall opposite below the skylight. Important to have the ladder at a steep angle. Have the ladder butt up against the foot of the wall on the landing and rest as close to the top of the wall opposite near the ceiling. This way it cannot move or put too much weight on the plaster thus causing damage. You readily see why you need an extend-able ladder to fit the space exactly.
My skylight is just an inch-or-two larger than the frame and rests above it. You lift, wiggle it around and it will drop easily to you. It’s shouldn’t be heavy. I find the experience of doing this while balancing myself on a ladder that is bouncing under my weight (“Look Ma, no hands”) very exciting. You do want to have a good ladder.
Hand the skylight to someone who will put it in the bathtub for a good rinse.
Before you put it back examine it for any damage. You might want to attach a clear plastic sheeting above-and/or-below it to both protect it and to provide more insulation.
I’ve done this yearly for decades now. I’m still alive and in one piece.
Hint: While you have it open add some white baffles around the sides of the opening in the ‘attic’ space that will reflect the daylight better. Makes for a marvelous effect and cuts down on your hallway lighting expense.
This is a mighty nice ceiling light, and the job should be done right.
Decorative leaded ceiling lights are accessed from inside, not outside.
(There is probably 30″ of space or more from where you would insert your arm through the rooftop skylight to reach down to clean the ceiling light.)
That hardware cloth (the mesh) is something somebody put there as a lame security device or else to keep loose pieces from falling. It would be great to get rid of it.
The tricky part is of course the stairway being right where you need to put your stepladder. This is really a job for a reasonably tall, long armed person. Put the ladder right up against the banister. If the piece is longer than, say, 3 feet, it should be two people and two ladders.Don’t try any of this without a particle mask and safety goggles.
The ceiling light has a frame of its own. There’s a wooden lip that the light-frame is seated upon. Leave the lip in place. Knife the painted edges where the frame meets that lip until the entire light-frame lifts upward easily. Then comes the tricky part of angling it around up in there until it can come down through the opening (the lip obviously creating an opening slightly smaller than the light-frame.)
I took ours to Albert Stained Glass on St. Marks Place and they restored it beautifully. It cost a few hundred bucks but it was worth it. I like yours better than ours. Very cool Aesthetic Period design.
Good luck.
You should be able to clean it from the roof by removing some clear glass from above. You just have to cut the window free if it has tar on the edges. Maybe it’s just me, but I think the wire mesh is killing the look of the beautiful window. I would remove it.