Skylights increase the amount of natural light that floods into your home, which can boost your mood. The right maintenance can keep your skylights looking as good as new to capture every ray of light.
Skylight Frame
Most skylights have a wooden frame that is either natural wood or pre-painted. Either finish may be safely cleaned using a regular household cleaner. Dust and clean the frame whenever you complete other household chores. Every four to five years, treat the wood by removing the existing paint or varnish and applying a fresh coat.
Skylight Glass
If the glass of your skylight becomes dusty or dirty, it won’t work as well as you’d like. That’s why it’s important to clean the glass on a regular basis. Rather than climb up on the roof, hire a contractor who can clean the exterior of the glass. To keep the inside looking bright, use window cleaner and a squeegee or non-abrasive cloth. Be gentle. Allow the cleaner to do the work for you; there is no need to scrub hard.
Skylight Flashing
Since your skylight is on the roof, it’s exposed to debris such as falling branches or leaves. This can make the skylight look neglected. Piles of decaying leaves can also compromise the skylight’s ability to prevent leaks. Skylight flashing should be cleaned once or twice a year to keep the flashing watertight. This can be done by a window cleaner or roofing contractor who is onsite doing other work. Or you can climb on the roof safely and do the work yourself.
Watch Your Gutters Too
You will also want to keep the gutters clean. This may seem tangential to maintaining your skylight, but there is a connection. During winter, snow and ice can fall on the skylight. The skylight is rated to withstand this pressure, so there is no worry about breakage. However, when the snow begins to melt, it needs somewhere to go. If your gutters aren’t clean, melting snow will not be able to drain properly. This causes trouble if water penetrates the roofline or if you begin to experience freeze and thaw cycles or ice buildup around the roof.
If these skylight maintenance problems don’t keep your skylight looking its best, it may be time to replace it with a newer model. We’re here to help with that by installing high-quality VELUX branded skylights.
