The best time to install a skylight is when you are re-roofing your house or when you install a new roof in a new house. Installing a skylight on an existing roof is a challenge, but it can be done if you hire the right contractor. Even if a room doesn't have an outside wall, it doesn't need to be windowless and not to have a natural light source. While traditional windows add some natural light around the perimeter of the house, interior spaces, stairways and corridors that aren't on the perimeter can benefit from the light that comes from upstairs.
For those rooms that don't have direct access to the ceiling, a tubular skylight is an option. Installing a skylight requires you to drill a hole of sufficient size in the roof in the right place. This procedure should never compromise the structural integrity of the roof, so a skylight is often placed to fit between existing beams and beams. There's no question that it's possible to “redesign” a roof segment to build a new skylight, but it's much more advanced than a quick project and is best left until it's time to replace the existing roof.
We take a holistic approach to skylights, analyzing all relevant factors, including their size and location, in addition to the structural suitability of the roof. When extending from the skylight on both sides, make a 45-degree slit in the membrane and then attach the top of the cut membrane to the skylight frame and the bottom of the cut membrane to the roof. Slide the U-shaped metal shelf over the bottom of the skylight and then attach it to the ceiling through the upper outer corners of the window sill. Rest one edge of the skylight against the lower edge of the threshold and then gradually lower the rest of the skylight to the roof.
Not every roof can house a skylight, but if yours can, you might be curious to learn more about the process. Locate the screws that went through the roof and then use a chalk line to mark the desired position of the skylight. When you hire a contractor, ask to see photos of the skylights they've installed on existing roofs. Use counterbalance strips that fit the edge of the skylight to cover the vertical legs of the flickering step.
Installing a skylight can be a great way to improve natural light and airflow throughout the house, but this isn't a project that most DIYers can do, especially because of the potential for personal injury that comes with working on the roof. Maintaining and repairing flat roofs can be complicated at best, but especially when installing a skylight. Cover the bottom edge of the skylight with a strip of waterproof membrane, which should extend approximately 6 inches beyond the sides of the skylight. Since the skylight must be installed through the roof, skylight installers must rely on their training and experience with ladders and fall protection equipment to stay safe in the work.
While it's best to install the skylight while placing the roof of the house, modernization is possible in the hands of the right contractor.
