A skylight floods a room with natural light and can make a dark space feel twice as big. The catch: a skylight is a hole in your roof, so it lives or dies by the installation and flashing.
Types of skylights
- Fixed: sealed, no opening — the most leak-resistant and affordable.
- Vented (operable): opens for fresh air; great for bathrooms and kitchens.
- Tubular: a small reflective tube that brings daylight into hallways and closets.
Why skylights leak (and how to avoid it)
Nearly every leaky skylight comes down to flashing — the metal that channels water around the unit. Done right, with a proper flashing kit and ice-and-water shield, a modern skylight is extremely reliable. Done cheap, it's a recurring headache. Older skylights also have rubber seals that simply wear out after 15–20 years.
Replace skylights with your roof
The single best time to add or replace a skylight is during a roof replacement. The area is already open, the flashing integrates cleanly with the new shingles, and you avoid paying twice for the same work. Re-roofing around an old, failing skylight is false economy — it'll leak and you'll be back up there.
Lightning installs and replaces skylights as part of our roofing work across New Jersey. Ask during your free estimate.