6 Signs Your Skylight Might be Ready for Repair or Replacement
Some of the most inspiring and light-efficient commercial buildings feature innovative skylight designs. Shopping malls, airports, office spaces, healthcare facilities, and more all make use of skylights as a way to welcome natural light and improve the experience of both occupants and visitors alike. Skylights provide a desirable glow of daylight during the day and an uplifting view of the night sky for those on-premise in the evening. Natural lighting has even been shown to improve productivity and even recruitment.
Of course, every unique building feature requires a certain amount of maintenance that falls outside of the DIY arena. Over time, skylights may need to be repaired or replaced by a brand new skylight, especially if your skylights were installed in a previous era. Alder’s works with our best-in-class manufacturer partners to deliver the highest quality skylights on the market. Our in-house daylighting experts manage every last installation detail including inspecting and maintaining each type of skylight to determine the need for repairing, resurfacing, or replacing your skylight system – from translucent to transparent skylights, tubular to acrylic skylights and beyond.
So how do you know when your skylight is in need of a refresh? We’ve helpfully outlined the top 6 signs that your skylight might be ready for repair or replacement below.
1. Discoloration Around the Edges or Ceiling
The most visibly apparent sign that your skylight needs to be repaired and potentially reinstalled is discoloration. Heavy discoloration around the edges of your skylight, or what appears to be spreading stains on the ceiling, can indicate a number of problems. Some discoloration can be rust stains from the skylight frame. Dark discoloration may be mold. Discoloration around the ceiling can indicate a slow leak that is saturating your ceiling materials. Regardless of the detail, it’s best to have your skylight checked out if you notice any discoloration that seems off.
2. Visible Cracks
There’s no question – if you see cracks in your skylight, you will need a skylight replacement. Cracked material is not only dangerous, but it also negatively impacts the energy efficiency-related benefits of having a skylight. Cracks indicate that the skylight is no longer structurally sound, and the next storm or rooftop animal that stresses the surface could be its last. It’s best to schedule a new skylight installation before that has a chance to occur.
3. Condensation and Fogginess
Like windows, skylights should not form condensation if sealants are working as they should. Even if your skylight hasn’t started to leak yet, fogginess and indoor condensation can be a sign that the seals are starting to go. This is not unusual, especially with older skylights where the rubber seals will become stiff and naturally lose their seal over time.
4. Moisture or Leaks
Skylights that have been damaged or have lost a complete seal can also become the source of leaks or seeping moisture. If your skylight drips, or if you see discoloration around the ceiling, your skylight may be at risk of a larger roof leak. This needs to be addressed immediately to maintain roof integrity and energy efficiency – and to prevent long-term water damage to your building. Skylight leak repairs are absolutely necessary if a leak does in fact exist.
5. Whistling, Rattling, and Drafts
While we all love the feeling of cool, fresh air, another sign that your skylight seals might be going is the presence of drafts. If you hear whistling or rattling from an old skylight, that is the sound of the pane sitting loosely in the frame without a proper seal. If your skylight is the most likely source of cold (or warm) drafts in the building, you have lost the energy-efficient bonus that the skylight should be providing as well. It will, at the very least, need to be resealed.
6. Commercial Roof Maintenance or Replacement
Lastly, if your commercial roof is being replaced by roofers or if you have existing roof problems like leaks or storm damage, your skylight may also need maintenance. It’s a good idea to have your skylight inspected any time you are considering roof repair, as well.
Install, Replace, or Repair Your Skylights with Alder’s
Alder’s is proud to provide beautiful daylighting solutions and skylight repair for both new and existing skylight installations across the U.S. We can ensure your commercial building is both beautiful and energy-efficient through our professional skylight services by minimizing replacement costs where we can and ensuring repairs are done correctly the first time by our team. Leverage the years of experience our skylight specialists bring to the table and contact us today if you are in need of repair, resurface, or replacement of a skylight system in the near future – we’d love to work with you!
