Drips from the skylight well in rain
Curb flashing or frame leaking.
Skylight and roof hatch repair and replacement in New York, NY
Most skylight leaks are not the glass. They are the curb the skylight sits on and the flashing that ties it to the roof. We repair and replace skylights and roof hatches as part of the roof.
- We answer 24/7
- Curbs reflashed
- Skylights and roof hatches
Quick answer: Skylight leaks in New York, NY usually come from the curb flashing where the skylight meets the roof, not the glazing. Repair means rebuilding that flashing; a cracked dome, fogged glass or rusted frame means replacement. Roof hatches leak the same way, at the curb, the gasket or a rusted lid.
What the job involves
Where skylights actually leak
A skylight sits on a curb, a raised box that lifts it above the roof surface. The roof membrane or step flashing has to run up that curb and be covered by the skylight's own flashing or frame. When that transition fails, water runs down inside the curb and drips from the skylight well.
Condensation can look like a leak too. Warm, moist air from a bathroom or kitchen condenses on cold glass in winter and drips. A dry curb with drips only in cold weather points to condensation, not the roof.
Your options
Reflash, replace the dome, or replace the unit?
| Option | When it fits | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Reflash the curb | Glazing is sound and water enters at the curb. | The most common fix. The curb may need raising. |
| Replace the dome | Dome cracked or crazed, curb and frame sound. | The size has to match the existing curb exactly. |
| Replace the unit | Frame rusted, glass fogged or curb failing. | Often paired with re-roofing so everything flashes together. |
Cost factors
What skylight work costs depends on
Repair or replace
Reflashing costs less than a new unit.
Skylight size and type
Fixed, venting, domed or glass.
Curb condition
Rotted curbs are rebuilt before anything goes on top.
Roof system
Flat roof membrane or pitched roof flashing kits.
Interior finish
New skylights can need plaster or drywall work in the well.
Hatch hardware
Gaskets, hinges and latches, or a full new hatch.
Variations of the job
Skylight and hatch work we do
Leaking skylight curb
The curb flashing is cut back and rebuilt, with the membrane taken up the curb and the skylight's counter flashing or frame lapped over it. Rotted curbs are rebuilt first.
Cracked dome
Old acrylic domes yellow, craze and crack. A matching replacement dome can go on the existing curb if the curb is sound; otherwise the whole unit is replaced.
New skylight
Framed into the roof, set on a proper curb, and flashed into the roof with the maker's flashing kit on pitched roofs or with membrane on flat roofs.
Roof hatch and scuttle
Hatches leak at the curb flashing, the lid gasket and rusted seams. Gaskets and hardware are replaced and curbs reflashed, or the hatch is swapped for a new insulated unit.
Local conditions
Stair skylights and shrinking curbs
Many city rowhouses have a skylight over the top-floor stair, set on a site-built curb that has been re-roofed around several times. Each new roof layer climbs the curb until the flashing height is gone and water can top it in heavy rain. Replacing a skylight is often the moment to rebuild that curb taller, so the new roof and the new skylight both have room to flash properly.
How it runs
How skylight work runs
- 1
Find the source
Curb, glazing or condensation.
- 2
Protect below
The stair or room under the skylight covered.
- 3
Rebuild the curb if needed
Height and framing sorted first.
- 4
Install or reflash
New unit or new flashing lapped into the roof.
- 5
Water test
Hose test around the curb and a check below.
Warning signs
Signs a skylight or hatch is failing
Drips only on cold days
Condensation, not a roof leak.
A yellowed or crazed dome
Acrylic breaking down in the sun.
Fog between glass panes
The insulated glass seal has failed.
Rust on the hatch lid or frame
Water sitting on or in the metal.
Daylight around a closed hatch
A worn gasket or warped lid.
Skylight and roof hatch makers found on New York roofs. Replacement parts and flashing kits are matched to the unit where they are still made.
VeluxWascoBristoliteSolatubeBilcoFakro
Questions we hear
Skylight and roof hatch questions
If drips appear in rain, it is a leak. If they appear on cold, dry days, especially above a bathroom or kitchen, it is usually condensation on cold glass.
If the curb is sound and a dome of the right size is available, yes. Rotted or undersized curbs are rebuilt.
If the skylight is old, yes. Replacing both together means the curb and flashing are built once, instead of an old unit being reflashed into a new roof.
New hatches come insulated, with better gaskets and latches. Older uninsulated lids lose heat and sweat in winter.
In a historic district, skylights visible from the street can need Landmarks Preservation Commission review. Units hidden behind a parapet on a flat roof usually face a simpler review.
Related services
Related roofing work
Parapet Wall Repair
Open joints, bulging brick and failed inside-face flashing are where many top-floor leaks begin. We repoint, rebuild and reflash.
Learn moreCoping Stone & Cap Replacement
Cracked clay tile, loose stone and rusted metal caps let water straight into the top of a wall. We reset, replace and flash coping.
Learn moreRoof Flashing Repair
Base flashing, counter flashing and pitch pockets fail long before the open field of the roof does. Often the most cost-effective fix on a building.
Learn moreSkylight or hatch dripping?
Call and we will tell you whether it is the curb, the glass or condensation.