Try "ice dam", "financing", "Montclair", "flat roof coating" or "Colombia".
A skylight is a window in the one place a window should never leak. Installed by a roofer with the manufacturer's flashing kit, it does not. We repair, replace and install skylights, sun tunnels and roof hatches on New Jersey homes and buildings, as part of a roof replacement or on their own, and we flash them the way we flash everything else on the roof.
Four kinds of skylight work, and the one yours is asking for.
Leaks traced to the flashing or the seal, re-flashed or resealed; glass, gaskets and motors replaced.
Leaks and fixes →
Old plastic domes and 1980s units replaced with insulated Velux glass, new flashing kit, inside finish repaired.
Replacement →
New skylights cut into the roof with a light shaft to the room; sun tunnels where a shaft will not fit.
Skylight types →
Flat-roof skylights and hatches on insulated curbs, tied into the membrane, with safety screens.
Commercial units →Most "leaking skylights" are not leaking through the glass. Six things we see most, and the honest answer for each.
Usually: the flashing above the skylight, often installed without a head flashing or with the shingles lapped wrong.
We do: strip the surrounding shingles, install the manufacturer's flashing kit with ice and water shield, re-shingle.
Usually: condensation on cold single-pane or old glass, not a leak.
We do: explain the difference, and replace the unit with insulated Low-E glass if it is bad enough to stain the drywall.
Usually: a failed seal on the insulated glass unit; the skylight is at the end of its life.
We do: replace the glass where the manufacturer still supplies it, otherwise the whole unit.
Usually: an acrylic bubble skylight from the 70s or 80s, brittle with UV.
We do: replace it with a glass unit in the same opening, with a new flashing kit; the room gets clear light again.
Usually: worn gaskets, a failed motor, or a crank that stripped.
We do: gaskets, motors, rain sensors and cranks replaced; blinds and shades repaired or replaced.
Usually: the curb flashing pulled away from the membrane, or a cracked dome.
We do: re-flash the curb into the membrane, replace the dome or the hatch, add a safety screen.
We install Velux and Supreme skylights, chosen for leak-proof flashing systems, insulated glass and sizes to fit the existing opening. These are the kinds and where each belongs.
Best for: living rooms, stairwells, hallways: light without ventilation.
Why: the simplest and tightest unit; insulated Low-E glass, laminated inner pane, ENERGY STAR rated.
Expected life 20+ yrBest for: kitchens and bathrooms: moisture and heat out the top.
Why: opens with a crank, a wall switch or a remote; electric units close themselves when the rain sensor gets wet.
Expected life 15–20 yrBest for: any room where running a wire is a problem.
Why: a solar cell charges the opener; remote control, rain sensor, and the unit and installation may qualify for the federal solar tax credit.
Expected life 15–20 yrBest for: closets, hallways, bathrooms and any room with attic above it but no room for a light shaft.
Why: a small roof dome and a reflective tube bring daylight through the attic to a ceiling diffuser; installed in a morning.
Expected life 20+ yrBest for: flat and low-slope roofs on homes and commercial buildings.
Why: the unit sits on an insulated curb flashed into the membrane; glass or polycarbonate domes, fall-protection screens, large sizes.
Flashed with the roofing crewBest for: commercial and multifamily roofs that need safe access or fire venting.
Why: insulated steel or aluminum hatches on curbs, ladder-safety posts, automatic smoke vents where code requires them.
Tied into the roof membrane
Skylights last 15 to 20 years; roofs last longer. We replace skylights on their own, and we always replace them when we replace a roof, because a 15-year-old skylight in a new roof is a leak with a date on it.
VELUX skylights, sun tunnels and roof windows installed to the manufacturer's flashing kit and specification, which is what keeps the VELUX no-leak warranty valid.
From resealing an existing unit to a full replacement or a commercial roof-access skylight, flashed into the roof by the people who warrant the roof around it.
Best for: Fixing "mystery leaks" and refreshing an aging skylight
Best for: Owners who want lower energy bills and no drafts
Best for: Urban buildings and flat-roof properties that need light and roof entry
No prices on this page on purpose: every package is scoped and priced after the inspection, and the exact terms go into your written proposal. Bring any other written proposal: same scope, same warranty, we beat it.
Request a Free Estimate →Poor installation is the cause of almost every leaking skylight, and most installers are not roofers. Four things we do on every skylight that most crews do not:
And a share of this job funds a roof for a family in need, through our One4One program.
Real jobs from our records. Tap a pin for the details; the documented ones have their own page with every photo.
Case studyHorizon Ct, Township of Washington, NJ 07676
Case studyArn Ter, Secaucus, NJ 07094
Garden St, Teaneck, NJ
Allan Ct, Teaneck, NJ 07666
Spring Ave, Bergenfield, NJ 07621
Hackett Pl, Rutherford, NJ 07070
Skylight, flashing, seals and the roof around it checked from above and the shaft from below; the leak traced to its source. Photos and a written report.
Repair or replace, the unit and glass package, venting and blinds, the inside finish work, the warranty and the price, in writing.
Interior protected, old unit out, deck repaired, new unit set and flashed with the manufacturer's kit. Most replacements in a few hours; new openings in a day.
Water-tested, inside finished, the manufacturer warranty registered and ours in writing; the skylight noted on the roof's maintenance plan.
The unit, the glass package, venting and controls, roof pitch and whether a new opening and light shaft are needed decide the price. These are honest ranges from our own jobs; your written estimate is free and exact.
Residential financing through Service Finance Company for qualified applicants, including same-as-cash and fixed-rate plans. Solar-powered skylights and sun tunnels may qualify for the federal solar tax credit; we give you the paperwork.
Financing options →
Replacing skylights with the roof is the cheapest they will ever be; ask for both in one proposal.
What New Jersey homeowners ask us before they sign.
Have a question not listed here? Call (201) 267-3000 or request an estimate.
Badly installed ones do. A skylight set with the manufacturer's flashing kit, ice and water shield and the shingles lapped correctly does not leak for the life of the unit. Most leaks we see are flashing that was skipped or caulked, or condensation mistaken for a leak.
Fifteen to twenty years for most units; the glass seal and the gaskets go first. Fog between the panes or a yellowed dome means it is time. We replace them with the roof whenever a roof is being done.
Yes. The shingles around it are lifted, the old unit and flashing removed, the new one set and re-flashed. If the roof is also near the end of its life it is cheaper to do both at once.
Modern ones are: insulated Low-E glass, argon fill and insulated frames, many ENERGY STAR rated. An old single-pane or acrylic unit is a hole in the insulation; replacing it is usually noticeable on the heating bill.
Fixed where you want light only; vented in kitchens, bathrooms and upstairs rooms that get hot, where letting the warm air out the top makes a real difference. Electric and solar units close themselves when it rains.
A small dome on the roof, a reflective tube through the attic and a diffuser in the ceiling: daylight in a hallway, closet or bathroom where a full skylight and light shaft will not fit. Installed in a morning, no framing.
Velux for fixed, vented, solar and sun tunnels, and Supreme Skylights for custom sizes and commercial units, both chosen for their flashing systems and warranties.
Homes across Northern and Central New Jersey, including Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Passaic, Morris, Union, Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterdon and Sussex counties. Commercial skylights and hatches across the whole of New Jersey.
"The team at Roof4Roof is professional, quick to respond, efficient, well priced and a pleasure to work with. Thank you for a beautiful new roof and soffit!"
"Work was done on time as promised. The staff was very polite and professional. Work area was left very clean and neat. I had no problems with this project, they handled everything."
"Good quality and good service at a great price. Special thanks go to John, who provided a lot of useful suggestions and made sure the workers did a good job."
A share of every job funds a roof, a repair or a home for a family in need, in New Jersey and abroad: $1.5M+ donated and 1,300+ families helped since 2010.
How One4One works →
An inspection from above and below, a written report with photos, and a proposal for the repair or the replacement with the unit, the warranty and the price spelled out.
