Skylight. The name alone evokes images of lazy, golden rays of sunlight streaming into cozy, attic bedrooms full of plush quilts and throw rugs. Maybe no other single architectural element gets the level of good press and goodwill skylights do. They evoke sophistication and openness, good times and heavenly views. But what about skylights installation in Toronto? Do they have a place in such an unforgiving climate?

Skylights Installation in Toronto: The Right Move?

Residential skylights get no shortage of love, it’s true. But not everyone thinks skylights installation in Toronto is such a great idea. Some complain that they’re energy inefficient, others maintain they’re prone to leaks and can be hard to repair and others will pan them for being difficult to keep clean. So who’s right? First we’ll look at some of the pros of skylights.

• Skylights Add Sex Appeal to a Home – Due to whatever particular magic they possess skylights make nearly any type of space more interesting (even hallways!). They open things up, create new focal points and make any room plant friendly.
• Skylights Add Value to a Home – Not only do they make your home more physically attractive they can also help reduce your heating, lighting and air conditioning costs. No less an authority than the US department of Energy says so. As such, homes with skylights are a particular favourite of buyers looking to embrace green living.
• Skylights Create a Healthier Environment – Potentially dangerous molds grow in dark, damp areas of the home like the basement and attic. Toronto homeowners know this perhaps as well as anyone. By opening up your attic to the light of the sun you give these potential allergens nowhere to take root.

Okay so what about those potential “cons” we mentioned above? Is there anything to them or is it just sour grapes emanating from grumpy Gus who like the dark? Let’s look at those cons one at a time.

• Skylights are Energy Inefficient – See above.
• Leaks are a Major Problem – There was something to this in the days of wooden casements that would rot after being subjected to months of the brutal Toronto winters. Today’s vinyl skylights though, have all of their ancestor’s appeal and none of their structural weakness.
• Skylights are Difficult to Clean – Of the three cons mentioned above this is the only one that has legs. Residential skylights will of course be more difficult to access and therefore clean than their right-there-on-the-wall cousins. It’s the one trade-off you’ll make in order to enjoy their many advantages.

If you’re considering skylights installation, Toronto is perhaps the perfect place for it. The additional natural light they’ll allow into your home will be much-appreciated during the long, dark months of December and January as will the relief they provide on your heating bill. People spend more time in their GTA homes than most due to the weather and skylights can help make that experience seem less confining and more inviting. Call Aluplex today at (416) 665-4482 to find out more about skylights installation in Toronto.

If water has begun to drip from around your skylights there are plenty of folks who will say you need to replace them, you need a new roof or any number of other doomsday scenarios. If you find yourself putting out buckets to catch water leaking from around your skylights the most important thing NOT to do is… panic. Just take a breath and try to figure out what’s going on in a calm, rational manner before calling out for emergency skylights repair you may or may not need.

What Causes a Skylight to Leak?

Your beautiful skylights are supposed to let in the light, not the water but the fact that there’s water seeping in around your skylights isn’t cause for panicked calls to a roofer or general contractor or anyone else. The following list may help simplify the emergency skylights repair process (if repair is needed) by giving you some idea of what may have caused the leak.

1. Your Skylights aren’t Actually Leaking– Huh? Leaking implies something is structurally wrong. Sometimes though, water is coming in because the skylights simply weren’t closed fully or properly. The more people in your home the better the chance someone left the skylight slightly ajar and that’s the reason for the dripping water.
2. They’re Not Actually Leaking II – Sometimes a few drips is not indicative of anything other than condensation on the inside of the pane. Make sure that’s not the case before calling for emergency skylights repair.
3. Faulty Installation – If you’ve just had your skylights installed and you notice dripping water your first call (after checking that the skylights are closed and the drips are not condensation) should be to the company that installed them. Get them back to your house, show them the problem and let them fix it.
4. Faulty Flashing – Anything that penetrates your roof is surrounded by flashing to prevent water leaking in around the margins, that includes residential skylights. Poorly installed, old or damaged flashing is a common cause for water leaking in around a skylight.
5. Cracked Panes – Storms, ice or heavy wet snow can send tree branches crashing down onto your roof. If your area was recently subjected to a violent storm or heavy snowfall your skylight may have been compromised by falling debris.
6. Recent Roof Work – If you recently had the roofer over to make repairs or re-shingle your roof a wayward nail or dropped piece of equipment may have caused damage to the window pane or flashing.

Aluplex: The Right Emergency Skylights Repair Service

Once you have a better idea of the nature of the problem, give us a call. Our emergency skylights repair technicians will listen to your input, quickly determine the exact cause of your leak then have it fixed in no time. We’ve been fixing residential skylights in the Toronto area for more than 3 decades and have seen it all. We’ll get right to the heart of the problem and quickly return your home to normal regardless of the time of day or weather conditions.