Skylight repair in Richmond Hill — usually the curb, not the skylight.

Most often the flashing, the curb or the sealant — not the skylight itself. Flashing that was never sealed correctly or has corroded, a curb built too low so snow and water pool against the frame, or perimeter sealant that has hardened and pulled away. A smaller number of leaks come from a failed internal glazing seal, which is the one case that genuinely needs a new unit. We establish which you have before quoting anything.

The large majority are repairable. Flashing, curb and sealant faults are all repairs regardless of the unit's age. Replacement is warranted when the glazing seal has failed internally — persistent fogging or moisture between the panes — when the frame is cracked or distorted, or when a very old acrylic dome has become brittle and crazed. Anyone quoting a replacement without first checking the curb and flashing hasn't diagnosed it.

It depends on which of the four faults you have. A reseal is the least involved; reinstating flashing to the manufacturer's detail is more; rebuilding a curb and replacing rotted decking around the opening is the largest of the three. All of them are a fraction of a replacement unit plus installation. We give a fixed written price after inspection rather than a number over the phone, because the difference between a reseal and a curb rebuild is substantial and only visible on the roof.

Most repairs are completed in half a day. A curb rebuild, or a repair that turns up rotted decking around the opening, runs to a full day. Unit replacement is typically a day depending on roof type, access and weather.

Probably not. Moisture appearing on cold clear nights, beading evenly around the glass and frame rather than running down one side, is condensation forming on the coldest surface in the room. It's common above bathrooms and kitchens and in homes running a humidifier through winter. The remedy is ventilation and humidity control. We check humidity and dew point during the inspection so you don't pay for roofing work that won't solve it.

Yes, and they're among the most common calls we get in Richmond Hill. A curb on a low-slope roof sits in standing water every time it rains, so curb height and proper membrane wrap matter far more than they do on a slope. We rebuild the curb and carry base and cap membrane up and over it — see flat roof repair for the wider system.

It may be. A unit leaking inside its first year or two usually points to installation rather than the product — typically a missing manufacturer flashing kit or a curb built too low. If the home is still within its builder or workmanship warranty period, that distinction matters financially. We document what we find so you have evidence to take to the builder, whether or not we do the repair.

Emergency work, yes — we'll stop water entry in any weather. Permanent repairs need a dry, frost-free surface: sealants have minimum application temperatures, membrane needs a clean dry substrate to bond, and shingle flashing work is harder when tabs are brittle in the cold. We'll say plainly whether the repair will hold now or whether temporary protection until milder weather gives a better result.

Have the flashing and sealant checked annually, ideally in autumn before the first freeze. Keep the curb clear of leaves and debris so meltwater can drain away rather than pooling against the frame. And make sure the curb is at proper height in the first place — almost every repeat leak we're called back to on someone else's repair traces to a curb that was left too low.