Skylight Repair in Los Angeles
We find the leak at the flashing, the curb, the seal, or the dome, and repair skylights on shingle, tile, and flat roofs. Estimates are free.
- Licensed, bonded & insured
- CSLB #1119699 (C-39)
- BBB Accredited, A rating
Fixing Leaking Skylights in LA County
Skylight repair starts with finding where the water gets in: the flashing around the skylight, the curb it sits on, the seal between the glazing and the frame, or a crack in an old plastic dome. In Los Angeles, a skylight can stay dry all summer and start dripping with the first big storm, since most of the year’s rain falls from November through March. A leak does not always mean the skylight has to be replaced.
If water is dripping now, put a bucket under it, move anything that should not get wet, and phone our 24/7 emergency number, (877) 557-7778. We offer fast response, with same-day visits when crews are available, and temporary tarping and sealing when the repair has to wait for dry weather.
November to March
4 in. curb min. under 3:12
24/7 at (877) 557-7778
CSLB #1119699 (C-39)
Leaking Skylight or Condensation? How to Tell
Not every wet skylight is leaking. Showers, cooking, and breathing add moisture to indoor air, and when that warm air reaches cool glass the moisture turns back into water. Skylight condensation can run down the frame and drip, so it is easy to mistake for a leak. It is most common in cool weather and in bathrooms and kitchens, and better ventilation usually helps.
Clues that point to condensation:
- Water appears on cool mornings or evenings, even when it has not rained
- The inside of the glass or dome is fogged or beaded with water
- The skylight is over a bathroom, kitchen, or laundry area
- The dripping slows when the room is ventilated
Clues that point to a leak:
- Water appears only during or right after rain
- Stains spread from one side or corner of the opening, often the uphill side
- The drywall in the skylight shaft is stained, soft, or bubbling
- The dripping gets worse when the rain is blowing
Fog between the two panes of a dual-glazed skylight is a third problem: the seal between the panes has failed. That is not a roof leak, but the fog will not clear, and the fix is a new skylight unit. If you still cannot tell where the water starts, our guide on how to trace a roof leak walks through the steps.
Where Skylights Leak: Flashing, Curb, Seal, and Dome
Skylight flashing
Most skylights on sloped roofs sit on a curb, a short wood or metal frame around the roof opening. The curb is flashed like a small chimney: step flashing up the sides, head flashing on the uphill side, and an apron on the downhill side, with the skylight frame or counterflashing covering the top edges. Skylight flashing repair replaces the pieces that have rusted, lifted, or were installed in the wrong order. Many older skylights were sealed with roof cement instead of proper flashing, and the cement cracks as it ages. Flashing at walls and chimneys is covered on our roof flashing repair page.
The curb
When flashing leaks for a long time, the wood curb soaks up water and rots. A rotted curb cannot hold fasteners or support new flashing, so it has to be rebuilt before the skylight goes back on. That is why the curb gets checked whenever the flashing comes off.
The seal between the glazing and the frame
The glass or plastic sits in the frame on gaskets or sealant. Years of sun shrink and crack them, and water gets in between the glazing and the frame. On some skylights the seal can be redone; on others, a failed glazing seal means replacing the unit.
Cracked acrylic domes
Many older skylights have a plastic (acrylic) dome. Sun exposure makes the plastic brittle and cloudy over the years, and a dome can crack from age or from a falling branch. Tape or sealant over a crack only buys time, and the permanent fix is a new skylight unit.
Debris and the uphill side
The uphill side of a skylight catches the leaves, needles, and dirt that wash down the roof. That pile holds water against the head flashing, and in heavy rain the water backs up underneath it. Wide skylights and site-built skylights may have a small cricket behind them to split the flow; where one is missing or too small, that side stays wet. Trimming back overhanging trees helps.
Call our 24/7 line. We offer fast response, with same-day visits when crews are available.
Skylights on Shingle, Tile, and Flat Roofs
Shingle roofs. The shingles around the skylight are lifted or cut back so new step flashing can be woven in course by course. Shingles that have gone brittle may crack when lifted, so a few replacement shingles are often part of the job.
Tile roofs. On clay and concrete tile, the underlayment under the tile is the waterproof layer, so the skylight flashing has to tie into the underlayment. The tiles around the skylight come off and go back on, and broken ones are replaced. When the underlayment around the skylight has worn out, the work overlaps with tile roof repair.
Flat and low-slope roofs. On roofs flatter than 3 in 12, the California Residential Code requires a unit skylight to sit on a curb at least 4 inches above the roof, unless the manufacturer’s instructions say otherwise. The membrane runs up the sides of the curb and is covered by counterflashing. Leaks come from ponding water around the curb, curbs that are too low, and membrane that has split at the corners. Apartment and commercial buildings often have several skylights on one low-slope roof, and each one is its own flashing detail to check.
Skylight Leak Repair or a New Skylight Unit
Our skylight work covers the parts around the glazing: the flashing, the curb, and the seals. We do not make or reglaze glass or plastic panels. When the glazing itself has failed, we replace the whole skylight unit.
A skylight leak repair usually makes sense when:
- The skylight unit is in good condition and the leak is in the flashing
- The curb is sound or needs only a small section rebuilt
- The seal on that model can be redone
Replacing the unit usually makes more sense when:
- The dome is cracked, brittle, or yellowed
- The dual-pane glass is fogged between the panes
- The frame is bent or corroded
- The roof is being replaced and the skylight is near the end of its life
Many California cities require a building permit to replace a skylight, so check with your city’s building department before the work is scheduled. For a skylight in a new opening, or to change a skylight’s size or type, see skylight installation.
Skylight Repair in Los Angeles During the Rainy Season
A skylight that leaked last winter is easier to repair in the dry months, when the roof can be opened without rain on the way. If it is already raining:
- Catch the water, and move furniture, rugs, and electronics away from the opening
- Keep people out from under drywall that is sagging with water
- Stay off the roof, and don’t spread roof cement over the skylight in the rain
- Take dated photos of the leak and the stains in case you contact your insurer
- Ask for a temporary tarp or seal if the permanent repair has to wait
A temporary seal is meant to get the house through a storm. The permanent repair comes once the roof is dry: flashing lapped in the right order, the curb checked and rebuilt if needed, and the skylight reset or replaced.
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Get a Skylight Repair Estimate
Tell us what type of roof the skylight sits on and when the water shows up. Call (877) 557-7778 or use the form below. Overhead Roofing is licensed, bonded, and insured (CSLB #1119699, C-39), and estimates are free.
Get Your Free Estimate
Please fill out the form below, or call: (877) 557-7778
Please fill out the form below, or call:
(877) 557-7778
Need Roof Repair or Replacement? Get a Free Estimate Today!
Don’t wait until a minor issue turns into a significant expense. At Overhead Roofing CA, we make it easy to get expert service fast with no pressure and no hidden fees. From routine roof maintenance to full tear-offs and installations, our team handles every project with precision, honesty, and care.
We specialize in helping LA homeowners and business owners protect their most valuable assets with dependable roofing solutions that last. Our licensed contractors are standing by, ready to inspect your roof, answer your questions, and provide a clear action plan all at no cost to you.
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Skylight Leak and Repair Questions
Why does my skylight leak only in heavy rain?
Light rain runs off the flashing, but heavy or wind-driven rain can push water under laps that are too short and back it up behind leaves piled on the uphill side. A leak that shows up only in big storms usually points to the flashing or the uphill side of the curb, not the glass. Note the wind direction and which side of the opening gets wet; it helps narrow down the source.
How do you fix a leaking skylight?
We start on the roof, not the ceiling. We check the flashing on all four sides, the uphill side for debris, the curb for rot, and the seals around the glazing. If the source is still unclear, we run water over one section at a time while someone watches inside. The repair then targets the part that failed: new flashing, a rebuilt curb, a new seal, or a new unit.
Who should fix skylight flashing, a roofer or a window installer?
Skylight flashing and curbs are part of the roof, so they are roofing work. Our license is CSLB #1119699, in the C-39 Roofing classification. We do not fabricate or reglaze glass. When the glazing has failed, we replace the whole skylight unit and flash it into the roof, so the new unit and the roofing around it are handled in one job.
How much does skylight repair cost?
We price each skylight after seeing it. The cost depends on the roof type, since tiles have to come off and go back on, and on the roof’s height and pitch. It also depends on whether the curb has rotted and whether the job is a flashing repair, a new seal, or a new unit. If the skylight work is part of a reroof, our Southern California roof replacement cost guide explains what drives that price.
Should I replace my skylights when I replace my roof?
It is worth considering. During a reroof, the skylight flashing is replaced anyway, so swapping in a new unit adds less work than it would later. Newer skylights in good shape can be reflashed and kept. Older plastic domes and fogged dual-pane units are usually better replaced with the roof, so the new roofing does not have to be opened again for them a few years later.
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