Replacement & Installation
Skylight replacement, reflashing and new installs in Memphis
Most leaking skylights do not have broken glass. The flashing or the seal around the curb has given out, usually at the same age as the roof around it. We tell you whether you need new flashing or a new unit.
We answer 24/7 for skylight leaks across Memphis
The job
Why skylights leak and how we find out
Quick answer
Skylight work in Memphis falls into three jobs: reflashing a sound unit that leaks at its edges, replacing a unit that has fogged, cracked or rotted at the frame, and cutting in a new skylight or sun tunnel. Edge leaks are the most common, and they are usually flashing, not glass.
A skylight is a hole in the roof with a window in it, and the roof around it weathers on its own schedule. Seals dry out, step flashing rusts, and leaves pile up on the uphill side, holding water against the curb.
We diagnose before we sell anything. Winter condensation running down the shaft is not a leak; water staining the drywall at the corners usually is. The fix depends on which one you have.
Cost
What affects skylight pricing
Skylight jobs vary with what is found under the flashing, so we price after looking.
- Reflash or replace
Flashing alone costs far less than a new unit and kit.
- Unit type
Fixed, venting and solar-powered units are priced differently.
- Curb condition
A rotted curb is rebuilt before a new unit sits on it.
- Interior damage
Stained drywall or a wet shaft adds inside work.
- Pitch and access
Steep roofs and second-story spots take longer.
- New openings
Framing, a light shaft and ceiling work add to new installs.
- Roof age
Pairing the work with a reroof avoids opening the area twice.
Your options
Reflash, replace or add a sun tunnel?
| Reflash | Replace the unit | Tubular skylight | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best when | Glass and frame sound, leak at the edges | Glass fogged or cracked, frame or curb rotted | Daylight wanted without a framed opening |
| What changes | New step flashing and seals | New unit, flashing kit, often the curb | Small roof cut and a reflective tube |
| Roof opened | Shingles around the curb | A wider area around the curb | Very little |
Skylight replacement in existing openings
When the glass fogs between panes, cracks, or the frame has rotted, new flashing will not save it. We remove the old unit, check the curb and framing for water damage, and set a new unit sized to the existing rough opening so the ceiling and drywall inside stay untouched. Units from VELUX and FAKRO come with matching flashing kits built for shingle roofs, which is the detail that keeps a replacement dry. If your roof is a few years from replacement, doing both together saves opening the same area twice.
New skylight installation
Adding a skylight means cutting the deck, framing a header between rafters, setting a curb and finishing a light shaft to the ceiling. We check the attic first for wiring, ductwork and trusses, since a truss cannot be cut the way a rafter can without an engineered fix. Where a framed opening is not practical, a tubular skylight such as a Solatube brings daylight into a hallway or bathroom through a small roof cut and a mirrored tube, often in a single day.
Skylight reflashing
If the glass is clear and the frame is solid, the leak is almost always at the flashing. Older skylights were often installed with caulk and face-nailed metal instead of step flashing woven into each shingle course, and that shortcut fails as the caulk ages. Reflashing means removing shingles around the curb, running ice and water membrane up the curb sides, then new step, head and apron flashing tied into the courses. The skylight stays in place, and the repair lasts as long as the roof around it.
Local conditions
Skylights on older roofs and under big trees
In older Cordova, around Countrywood and Berryhill, much of the 1990s and early-2000s housing has reached the age where roofs wear out, and skylights installed with those roofs carry flashing and seals of the same age. Midtown has a different problem: mature trees over its wide, shaded streets drop leaves that pile up behind the uphill side of a skylight and hold water against the curb. The first usually needs new flashing or a new unit; the second often starts with cleaning and a better head flashing.
How it runs
How a skylight job runs
- 01
Find the source
Inside and outside checks separate condensation from a leak.
- 02
Written options
Reflash, replace or new install, priced separately.
- 03
Open the roof
Shingles around the curb come off and the deck is checked.
- 04
Membrane and curb
Ice and water membrane goes up the curb before any metal.
- 05
Flash and shingle
Step, head and apron flashing woven into the courses.
- 06
Water test
We run a hose on the finished work and check inside.
Skylight dripping right now?
Call any hour. We answer 24/7 and can cover the unit from outside tonight so the ceiling stops taking water.
Call (901) 459-6395Brands we install and service
Shingles, membranes, metal and skylights from VELUX, FAKRO, Solatube and the other makers below.
FAQ
Skylight questions from Memphis homeowners
Often that is condensation, not a leak. Warm, moist indoor air meets cold glass and runs down the shaft. Better ventilation or newer glazing usually fixes it.
Yes, when the glass and frame are sound. Reflashing replaces the metal and seals around the curb and leaves the unit in place.
If they are past the middle of their life, usually yes. The flashing gets replaced anyway, and a new unit avoids reopening the roof later.
Yes. Tubular skylights suit hallways, closets and bathrooms where a framed skylight will not fit, and they need only a small roof cut.
Modern low-E glazing cuts much of the heat gain. Placement matters too; a north-facing slope gives even light with less summer heat.