Skylight Removal Patch-over Question
I am going to remove a skylight that looks like it was made from an old John Deer tractor. I am exaggerating a bit, but it does look handmade and leaks like a sieve.
To be clear, the skylight is on a horizontal portion of our roof. My plans are that after removing the skylight, I will line the opening edges with 2×4 strips set down just enough to lay a 3/4-inch section of plywood over it which will put it on the same plane as the rest of the sheathing. Then I will caulk it with silicone glue and screw it down tightly. Over this I plan to lay down galvanized tin extending about 3-4 inches below the existing roofing material and glue this down over the plywood with liquid nails. Then, I will lay down heavy roofing material and seal this down in place. No nails will be used in this last layer for the obvious reasons.
Suggestions and comments are most welcome as I would like to get this right on the first go.
Phillip
Replies
first question is what kind of roof material is on this?
One step you miss that will cause you a problem is shimming for the thickness of the existing roofing.
So I possibly would get a roll of I&W and fill a ply or two to get up to the existing roofing, then another ply out over that by 4", than the patch you mentioned. That metal patch would then need to be roofed.
But that all depends on the kind of materials there now. If what you have is EPDM rubber roofing, then it is incompatible with the bituminous vapours in the bituthene.
The problem I am adressing, is that without shimming to deal with the thickness of the existing materials, you create a pan to hold water
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I hear you about bringing up my patch so that all will be level in the end. That was my plan all along.I have no idea what kind of roofing material is currently on our roof, but I will find out tomorrow. This is a new roof, but what materials they used is not known to me at this moment.I have attached a few photos so you can see what this 'skylight' looks like. And just to be clear, these photos were taken BEFORE the new roof was laid down.I appreciate your comments and suggestions.
What a waste of a good Velux. I'd be surprised if it were the skylight that leaked. That curb on the otherhand does indeed resemble a John Deere. I hope you removing the curb, and not just the window.
when done, all that will be seen is a flat roof.
Got news for you, that chimney is probably leaking too.Oh - this is not the roof - what is in the photos looks like torch down modified bitumen.It is a skylight made for shingle roofs that was used on a curbmount situation and poorly done.I'd have to see the existing to have an idea iof it can be saved, buit I have some doubts
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The photos were taken before the new roof was installed about 5 years or so ago. If we have clear weather today I will get up there and take a few photos of the new roof. A poster mentioned a compatibility issue between roof materials which I haven;t a clue about. Today I plan on talking to our roofers to make sure I use the right materials to patch it up with.Thanks again for your help.
I take it you've assessed the value of having the skylight ... i.e. you don't like or need the light inside and/or you get way too much sun (e.g. it's south facing). I'm not a big skylight fan, but it is there already, and if you have value in what it offers (the light in the space), I'd reconsider it's elimination and consider replacement ... doing it right. I agree generally w/ the other poster ... it looks like the skylight is a reasonable product installed very poorly. Best equipment in the world won't work if you install it wrong. It appears you have a reasonable roof curb that simply needs some TLC in proper skylight flashing.
Another option to flush elimination would be to leave as is and roof the skylight opening ... much easier to flash and contend with than the flush approach. The inside you finish however you want (e.g. restore the flat ceiling or whatever). This also allows you or the next owner to restore the skylight if they chose.
I appreciate your thoughtful comments.We do not see much value in this skylight. It lets in too much heat during the summer months and it used to let in too much light for my wife who likes to sleep late on the weekends. I say 'used' because we have had the interior opening blocked off for years with tin foil on top and bottom sandwiching 6-inches of insulation between. In addition, the leaking has ruined the interior ceiling which will have to be repaired regardless of what we end up doing with the skylight.As I mentioned earlier, after the roofers installed our new roof 5 years ago, we have had them back many times in an attempt to stop the leaking which we truthfully did not know the origin of. By trial and error I finally discovered where the roof was leaking and by covering up the skylight with a waterproof tarp during a recent heavy rain, have finally determined that the skylight is leaking as well. Due to it poor construction, there is no way to make a quick caulk repair. When we had the roof re-done, we talked about having the skylight removed, but because we were not certain that it was the source of one of the leaks, we just left it as it to avoid more expense. The constant leak events since have made us realize that our decision was a mistake.Having said all of that, I think our only sensible option would be to remove it once and for all and be done with it. However, I will discuss your suggestion with my wife, but I'll bet the farm that she'll give me that drill sergeant look of hers. I'll chance getting my food supply cut off and get back to you later.Thanks for your comments.
If it gave you overheating problems in the summer and you really don't care for it ... oust it!! A better option for sun and light control would be a clerestory type window, but I think your application is small and awkward for that. If the light isn't 'nice', then it really isn't worth it. There are other ways to provide light w/ regular windows, but you already know that.
Thanks for getting back to me.Something that I have not mentioned - and which I should have recalled from personal experience - is that flat roofs and skylights (or really any thing that disturbs the roof seal) just don't go well most of the time. Our other home in NM has a flat roof and about a year back we had to have those replaced because they leaked as well. On another pitched-roof home that I used to own, I installed three 2'x4' skylights and they never leaked. I'm not boasting about my DIY skills, only saying that pitched-roofs are less prone to skylight leaks if the installation is done by the book.At any rate, I learned yesterday that our roofer used bitumen roofing material for the flat section of our roof. Now, if the weather would only cooperate and stop raining I could get started.Thanks again.
Commercial flat roofs use skylights a LOT w/out problems, so I would tend to disagree w/ the leak statement, although, inherently, penetrations of flat roofs will always be a little more problematic than sloped. Properly curbed, though the flat roof application should be as 'good to go' as sloped applications.
You're not going to let a little rain stop you are you? ;)
I honestly believe that if one more drop of rain enters the house via that skylight I will be taking my meals with Fang on the patio. During inclement weather I may be fortunate to take them in the basement. Does that answer your question? ;)
Maybe then you'll drink beer in peace?! ;)
LOL, sounds like that leak is over HER side of the bed
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"only saying that pitched-roofs are less prone to skylight leaks if the installation is done by the book."Actually, skylights in low pitched or flat roofs don't leak either when they are done by the book.It is when mistakes are made, or downright sloppy work as shown in your photo is when leaks are more prone to show up in flat roofs immediately but more likely to hide themselves for a number of years in shingled roofs. You can't blame the flat roof for the poor workmanship.
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