Can I Rescreen a Skylight?

Rescreening a Skylight

• Not all skylights are constructed with thermal-efficient glass. If you have an older skylight, the heat it transfers in the summer months can increase your energy bills. Attaching a screen to your skylight reduces the amount of light – and heat – that the skylight lets into your home. Skylight screens are removable and not an integral part of the skylight itself. If your screen sustains irreparable damage and you don't mind working on the roof, you can rescreen the skylight yourself.

New Screen Installation

• The installation process differs depending on the type of skylight screen you have. Drawstring screens are made of thick cloth fibers and fit neatly over raised skylights. Installing a drawstring skylight requires that you affix the fibrous cloth over the skylight and pull the drawstring closed. Metal skylight screens require you to screw the screen directly into the skylight frame. While more expensive and more challenging to install than cloth screens, metal screens generally last longer than their cloth counterparts.

Protective Screens

• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires that all businesses maintain either a skylight screen or a railing on all four sides of each skylight. While less common in homes than in businesses, these protective screens create a strong metal barrier that prevents individuals walking on the roof from falling through the skylight. Protective screens cover the entire skylight and, depending on the model, may require additional clearance on each side. When replacing a protective screen, you must fasten it securely to the skylight frame or roofing material.

Considerations

• Before purchasing a replacement screen for your skylight, measure the length, width and height of the skylight frame. Like the skylight itself, skylight screens are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. The style of your skylight also determines the type of replacement screen you should purchase. A domed skylight, for example, will require a different type screen than a flat skylight – even if the frame measurements for each are identical.

Warning

• If you opt to replace your skylight screen yourself, take your own safety into consideration when working on your roof. Oklahoma State University recommends wearing a safety harness attached to a stationary section of the roof to prevent injury from falling. Avoid working on your roof in inclement weather. Although a little wind and rain may not bother you, high winds make maintaining your balance on the roof more difficult while rain makes the roofing material slippery – increasing the risk of a fall.