Skylights in Campbell, CA: three kinds of work
Skylight calls fall into three groups, and each has its own page with more detail:
- [Skylight repair](/skylights/skylight-repair/): a leak around the frame, a failed seal, a cracked dome or condensation dripping onto the ceiling. Many of these can be fixed by reflashing or resealing without a new unit.
- [Skylight replacement](/skylights/skylight-replacement/): an old dome or glass unit that is yellowed, crazed, fogged or leaking in more than one place, swapped for a new unit with fresh flashing.
- [Skylight and solar tube installation](/skylights/skylight-installation/): a new opening cut into the roof to daylight a dark kitchen, hallway, bathroom or stairwell.
We are roofers first, so we treat the skylight as part of the roof. The unit, the curb it sits on, the flashing around it and the shingles, tile or membrane that meet that flashing all have to work together.
What every skylight visit covers
- Roof-side inspection of the unit, curb, flashing and surrounding roofing.
- Ceiling and attic check for stains, wet drywall and condensation marks.
- Photos of the glass, flashing and any damage, sent with the estimate.
- A written, itemized price with repair, replacement and roof-over options side by side.
- Cleanup of old domes, metal and sealant.
Why do skylights leak?
Water rarely comes through the skylight glass itself. A leaking skylight is almost always failing at one of these points:
| Leak point | What happens | Typical age or trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Step or counter flashing | Metal around the curb rusts, separates or was never woven into the shingles | Older roofs, past repairs with caulk instead of metal |
| Uphill side of the curb | Leaves and needles pile up and push water over the flashing | Homes under oaks, pines and redwoods |
| Frame-to-curb seal | Gaskets and sealant dry out in summer heat | Units from the 1970s to the 1990s |
| Dome or glass | Acrylic crazes and cracks; insulated glass loses its seal | Plastic domes 25+ years old |
| Condensation | Warm, moist room air hits a cold skylight and drips | Bathrooms and kitchens, single-pane domes |
Leaks show up most during the November–March storms, especially wind-driven atmospheric-river rain that pushes water sideways under flashing. We explain the common culprits in more depth in why skylights leak.
Questions about skylights?
Call first for the quickest answer, or request a free written estimate below.
Request a free written estimate
Fastest answer: call (725) 745-8803. Or send the details below and we will call you back.
Plastic domes from the 1970s and 80s
Many South Bay homes got acrylic bubble skylights during remodels in the 1970s and 80s, often site-built wooden curbs with a dome screwed on top. Decades of summer sun have turned many of them yellow, hazy and brittle. Some have a second inner dome that has fogged with dirt and moisture between the layers.
These units can sometimes be resealed to buy a season or two, but a dome that is crazed or cracked has reached the end. Replacing it with a modern glass unit sized to the existing curb usually keeps the ceiling opening and drywall untouched, which keeps the job simple.
Fixed, venting or tubular: which skylight suits the room?
| Type | What it does | Best rooms |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed skylight | Lets in daylight, does not open | Living rooms, vaulted ceilings, hallways |
| Venting skylight | Opens manually or electrically to release heat and moisture | Kitchens, bathrooms, upstairs rooms that trap heat |
| Solar tube (tubular daylighting device) | A small roof dome feeds a reflective tube to a ceiling diffuser | Closets, halls, small baths, rooms with an attic above |
A flat ceiling with an attic above can take either a skylight with a framed light shaft or a solar tube. A vaulted ceiling usually suits a standard skylight. Our post comparing a skylight vs. solar tube walks through the trade-offs room by room.
Do skylights make a room hotter in summer?
They can, which is why the glass and placement matter. Campbell summers are dry and hot inland, and an old clear acrylic dome over a west-facing room can turn it into a greenhouse. Modern skylights with low-E coated, laminated glass block much of the solar heat while still letting light in.
- Choose low-E glass, and consider tinted options for south- and west-facing roof planes.
- Use a venting model where heat collects, so hot air can escape at the high point.
- Add blinds or shades for bedrooms and media rooms.
- Size modestly; a smaller unit often lights a room well without overheating it.
California's Title 24, Part 6 sets energy performance values for skylights in new work and many alterations, shown on the unit's NFRC label. We select units that meet the values that apply and note them on the estimate.
Skylights during a reroof, on flat roofs and on Eichlers
The best time to deal with an aging skylight is when the roof around it is being replaced. The old flashing comes off anyway, and the new unit's flashing kit gets woven into fresh underlayment and shingles. During a roof replacement, we price each skylight as its own line so you can choose which to replace, reflash or remove and roof over.
Low-slope roofs need curb-mounted units raised well above the membrane. That is the norm on Eichlers in Sunnyvale, Cupertino and San Jose, where skylights are part of the original design. Those jobs tie into our flat roofing work, since the curb flashing and the roof membrane have to be sealed as one. On standard pitched roofs, isolated skylight leaks may also be handled as part of a general roof repair visit.
Skylight work step by step, from the stain to the hose test
- Trace the water. Mark where the stain shows inside, then inspect the curb and flashing above it.
- Rule out condensation. Single-pane domes over showers can drip with no roof leak at all.
- Photograph and quote. You see what we saw, with each option priced in writing.
- Open the roofing. Shingles, tile or membrane around the curb come up so old flashing is removed, not caulked over.
- Set and flash the unit. Underlayment wraps the curb, then sill, step and head flashing go on, each lapped over the piece below.
- Hose-test and clean up. Water run from the uphill side checks the work before the crew leaves.
Permits, glazing rules and contractor checks for skylight work
Replacing a skylight opens the roof and adding one cuts framing, so settle code questions first with the Campbell Building Division (the County handles unincorporated parcels). The California Residential Code (Section R308.6) limits skylight glazing to safety materials such as laminated or tempered glass and approved rigid plastics, and on roofs flatter than 3:12 calls for a curb at least 4 inches tall unless the maker says otherwise. Title 24, Part 6 caps U-factor and solar heat gain, as shown on the NFRC label. Skylight jobs of $1,000 or more need a contractor with an active CSLB license, which anyone can check at cslb.ca.gov.
What drives the price of skylight work
We do not quote prices on the site because skylight jobs vary so much. Your written estimate is shaped by:
- Scope: reseal, reflash, replace the unit, or cut a new opening
- Unit type and size: fixed, venting, electric or solar-powered venting, or tubular
- Roof material: tile and shake take more care to remove and reset than shingles
- Interior work: a new light shaft, drywall and paint for new installs
- Number of units: several skylights replaced in one visit share setup and access
- Permits: new openings and structural changes may need one
On Campbell homes the biggest swing is often the roof around the unit: an aging 1970s shingle roof can make a reflash short-lived, and concrete tile adds lift-and-reset labor.
If you prefer a particular maker such as Velux, tell us and we will price that model; we can also quote comparable units from other makers. Any product warranty is issued by the skylight's manufacturer on its terms; our workmanship terms go in writing on your estimate.
Skylight dripping or just past its prime? Call (725) 745-8803 for a free skylight estimate.
Call (725) 745-8803What a family-run roofer brings to skylight work
Ours is a family-run roofing business, and whoever inspects your skylight walks you through the photos before you decide. Estimates are free and written. If a reseal or new head flashing will stop the drip, that is what we quote, and if the stain is condensation, we say so. One leaking skylight is a job we take, and so is a house with several; crews cover floors below the opening and clean up daily.
