How to Fix a Leak Near a Skylight

A skylight can not only greatly increase the aesthetic appeal of a room by allowing natural light to enter the home, but it can also offer a means of ventilation. As with roof vents and chimneys, skylights do give rise to the risk of water leaking into the home. To prevent this, skylights feature metal pieces collectively referred to as flashing that cover the seams between the skylight and the roof. Given enough time, the flashing will corrode and require replacement. Although it does take time to replace the old flashing, doing so is fairly straightforward and should stop the leak.

Crowbar
Pry bar
Roofer's cement
Caulking gun
Sill flashing
Head flashing
Shingles
1 1/4 inch roofing nails
Hammer
Step flashing
Tin snips

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the shingles that surround the skylight to access the skylight’s flashing. Each shingle is attached to the roof with roofing nails driven through the top of the shingle. Push a crowbar underneath the singles and pry the nails out of the roof.
- 2
  Remove the step flashing. Step flashing are the small flashing pieces located against each side of the skylight. The step flashing pieces are held in place with roofer’s cement. Pry the step flashing away from the skylight with the pry bar.
- 3
  Remove the sill flashing and the head flashing. The sill flashing is located at the bottom of skylight. The head flashing is located at the top of the skylight. The sill and head flashing pieces are held in place with roofer’s cement. Pry the flashing off the roof with the pry bar.
- 4
  Apply roofer’s cement along the underside of a new sill flashing piece with a caulking gun and position the piece onto the roof and against the bottom of the skylight.
- 5
  Apply roofer’s cement along the underside of a new head flashing piece. Slide the top of the head flashing underneath the shingles located above the skylight and lower the flashing onto the top of the skylight’s frame.
- 6
  Position new shingles onto the roof to cover the area above the skylight and drive 1 1/4 inch roofing nails through the top of the shingles and into the roof with a hammer.
- 7
  Cut new step flashing pieces with tin snips to match the dimensions of the old step flashing pieces. Use the old pieces as templates. Step flashing is fairly standard in size and is commonly available and home repair centers.
- 8
  Apply roofer’s cement along the underside of one new step flashing piece. Press the piece against the bottom of one side of the skylight.
- 9
  Position one new shingle over the step flashing piece and drive roofing nails through the shingle.
- 10
  Install the remaining step flashing and shingles. Work upward from the bottom of the skylight until both sides of the skylight are covered.
- 11
  Apply a bead of roofing cement along the seams that exist between the skylight and the shingles.

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