Having a skylight in your home can brighten up a room and bring life to dark areas of your home. It can also save money on energy costs because it provides warm usable light inside your home. Unfortunately, when a skylight becomes damaged or starts to fail in some way there is usually the question of whether to repair the skylight or simply opt for a new skylight in your home. In this article I’ll look at some of the pros and cons of getting skylight repair in Michigan to help you determine if you should repair or replace your skylight.
Skylight Repair Versus Skylight Replacement in Michigan
For Michigan home owners having a skylight typically means lighting a room with warm sunlight and enjoying the thought of energy savings on your energy bill. Unfortunately, when the skylight starts to leak water many home owners wonder if replacement of the skylight is necessary or will they just need skylight repair in Michigan. Here are some tips to help you better decide on which you should choose for your home.
Age of the Skylight in Question
Determining how long the skylight has been installed in the home can have a big effect on whether it should be replaced or not. Skylights that were made and installed 20 years ago or more likely need to be replaced. Usually when a skylight is this old it starts to become cloudy and can attract more heat from sunlight. If can also be much less energy efficient than more modern skylights. So if your skylight is over 20 years old it’s probably a good idea to go ahead and get a Michigan roofing contractor to replace it.
Getting a More Energy Efficient Skylight
Skylights today have much better energy efficiency than models made in the last few decades. With items like double pane pressurized glass and special glazing today’s skylights have a very high rating when it comes to energy efficiency. Sometimes when you’re considering if you should repair a skylight or replace it be sure to check the energy efficiency difference of the two. You can sometimes save money over the long run by getting the skylight replaced rather than getting it repaired.
What Damaged the Skylight
Sometimes the seal around a skylight becomes cracked or degrades and allows water to pass by causing the skylight to leak. However, sometimes there are other factors that can cause a skylight to leak. A branch may have fallen and broken the seal or the glass of the skylight. You can also have debris that builds up on the skylight which causes leaks as well. If something besides the skylight is the culprit you’ll need to remedy that situation when repairing the skylight. Many times trees can allow debris to fall onto skylights and cause lots of problems.
Do You Need a New Roof
Another thing that you’ll certainly want to consider is the roof condition itself. Sometimes it’s not the skylight that needs repair but the roof in general. When a roofing system starts to fail some of the signs may be leaks at roof penetrations such as a skylight. One of the best ways to tell what condition your roof is in would be to get a free roof inspection in Michigan to determine if the roof is damaged and whether it needs completely replacing. A roof inspection can also help to determine the cause of a skylight leak as well.
Replacing the Glass or Window in a Skylight
The most common culprit in a skylight failure is the seal around the skylight. This area is responsible for sealing the skylight and keeping out any water from entering into the home. But sometimes things can happen when the glass or window in a skylight needs to be replaced. If the skylight has double pane glass then you’ll need to purchase the entire window sash in order to properly repair the skylight.
For homes with a skylight that is plastic make sure the edges of the skylight are not broken or chipped. When getting skylight repair for a plastic window such as plexiglass you’ll need to make sure there will be no debris that can fall on it. Plastic windows are more susceptible to damage than glass.
