Last night I'm sitting on the couch, minding my own business binge-watching some random cooking show (you know, the kind where everything looks amazing but you'd never actually attempt it yourself), when suddenly I feel something cold land smack dab on my forehead. Yep, water. Dripping down from the skylight above. Now, I'm no handyman, but even I knew this wasn't exactly ideal.
Fast forward to today: ladder out, caulk gun in hand, staring at the skylight like it's some kinda alien portal that needs sealing before more rain invades my living room. I've watched a couple YouTube vids and they make it look easy (of course), but I'm still debating between silicone or one of those flashing tape things. Honestly, I'd rather not turn this into a regular weekend hobby.
Anyway, figured I'd toss this out here—anyone had their own skylight sealing saga? Maybe someone can pick up where I left off and share how theirs ended...hopefully better than mine's looking right now.
Had a similar issue a couple years back—thought silicone would do the trick, but it didn't hold up through the winter. Ended up going with flashing tape and haven't had a leak since. Honestly, sealing skylights is one of those deceptively tricky DIY jobs...looks straightforward till you're balancing on a ladder trying not to smear caulk everywhere. Good luck with yours, hope you nail it first try.
Did you ever figure out why the silicone didn't hold up? I've seen it fail a few times myself, and I'm starting to wonder if it's just not compatible with certain roofing materials or maybe it's about prep work. Flashing tape is definitely a solid choice, but have you considered looking into green roof solutions around skylights? I've heard some interesting things about using vegetation and specialized membranes to manage water runoff naturally...might be worth exploring if you're open to something different. Curious if anyone here's tried integrating plants around their skylights—does it help with leaks or just complicate maintenance? Anyway, hope your fix holds up better than mine did the first time around.
I've seen silicone fail a bunch of times too, and honestly, I think prep work is usually the culprit. Even a tiny bit of dirt or moisture can mess up adhesion big time. Flashing tape is definitely more forgiving in that sense, but the green roof idea is pretty intriguing. I've inspected a couple homes with vegetation around skylights, and while it looked awesome, maintenance seemed a bit trickier. One homeowner mentioned it helped slow down runoff and reduced leaks, but another said it attracted bugs and debris, making upkeep a hassle. Guess it depends on your climate and how much gardening you're willing to do. Either way, props for trying something different—hope your next fix sticks better than mine did last spring...leaky skylights are no joke.
I've been down the silicone route myself and learned the hard way that prep really is everything. I spent an afternoon sealing up my skylight, thinking I'd nailed it, only to find water dripping through again after the next heavy rain. Turns out I rushed the cleaning step and didn't get rid of all the old caulk residue—rookie mistake. Ended up redoing it with flashing tape a couple months later, and it's held up great so far. The tape was pricier upfront, but honestly, not having to climb up there every other weekend has been worth every penny.
The green roof thing sounds cool in theory, but knowing my luck, I'd just end up with a mini jungle attracting all sorts of critters. Plus, I can barely keep houseplants alive indoors...probably not the best candidate for rooftop gardening.
