Skylight Repair and Installation in Toronto

Signs to look for

• Water running down the inside of a skylight shaft
• Staining on the drywall around the opening
• Misting between the panes, which means the seal has gone
• A skylight fitted over twenty years ago that has never been touched

How the work is done

1. Establish first whether it is a leak or condensation, because they look identical inside
2. Lift the existing flashing and inspect the opening and the curb
3. Reflash with the manufacturer's kit for that unit, not a generic one
4. Replace the unit only where the seal has actually failed

In Toronto specifically

Toronto's humid continental — long cold winters, humid summers, and a freeze-thaw shoulder season either side climate and its housing stock — Victorian and Edwardian semis through the old city, postwar bungalows and backsplits across Scarborough, North York and Etobicoke, and a downtown core that is almost entirely towers — decide what is worth doing first. Roofing work here falls under the Ontario Building Code, and the City of Toronto handles permits and inspections. Ontario does not licence roofers at provincial level, so the checks worth making are a WSIB clearance certificate and proof of liability cover — both of which a legitimate company will hand over without being chased.

Before the technician arrives

Four things worth doing — and the first one is usually the thing people get wrong.

1. Note whether it drips during rain or on cold mornings. Rain is a leak, cold mornings are usually condensation.
2. Check whether the room is humid — a bathroom or kitchen skylight behaves differently from a hallway one.
3. Find the make if there is a label on the frame. Flashing kits are manufacturer-specific.
4. Photograph the staining before anyone arrives.