We were contacted by a homeowner in Carrollwood who received the home inspection report for her newly purchased home. The report identified the skylight in the master bathroom but made no comments regarding its condition other than it appeared to be functional. Her concern was did it perform properly prior to the next rainy season?
This type of call is very reasonable. Most people would want a complete and accurate assessment of a skylight prior to any work to repair it. For items such as skylights installed in your roof, which endure all of the rain of Tampa’s summer months, the information collected is far more valuable than the call itself.
What a Skylight Inspection Covers
A professional skylight inspection is not a quick look from the floor below. We get on the roof, examine the unit from the outside, then assess the interior from the inside.
On the roof, we check the condition of the flashing at every edge. We look for separation, rust, lifted edges, or improper laps. We examine the seal around the glazing perimeter. We examine the curb or deck mount for any movement or deterioration. We inspect the surrounding roofing material where it meets the skylight for lifted shingles or failed tile bedding.
From inside, we check the light well for water staining, soft drywall, mold, or discoloration at the frame. We look at the glazing from below for cracks, clouding, or moisture between panes on insulated units. We check the frame seal where it meets the interior drywall.
We also note the unit’s age and brand, if we can identify it, which helps assess how much service life it likely has left.
When a Skylight Inspection Makes Sense
Home purchase is one of the most common triggers. Standard home inspections often give skylights a cursory check. A dedicated skylight inspection in Tampa after closing, or even before, gives you a clearer picture.
Another smart time to check your skylights before hurricane season is here. We consider June through November as storm season and all roof penetrations are stressed during this time. A minor problem with your skylights prior to storm season can become a major problem by October.
An inspection after a severe storm will check for damage to your skylight caused by wind, objects falling from roofs or wind-driven rain. Such damage is not always visible from inside until weeks later when water starts leaking from the ceiling.
It’s good practice to check your skylights every few years, particularly if they’re over 10 years old.
What We Look For Specifically on Tampa Roofs
The specific weathering failures seen in Tampa are due to its unique climate. The UV exposure here is intense and causes sealants and acrylic glazing materials to degrade faster than in cold climates. Even mechanically sound flashing fails at the sealant interfaces due to UV degradation of the sealants.
Heavy rain and wind are features of our summer weather. A tight skylight in dry weather can allow water to penetrate in wet weather when rain enters at an angle and wind then enters behind the water. In inspections we simulate this scenario as needed.
Our Hyde Park and Lutz tile roof inspections pay close attention to the areas near skylights. Tiles that have shifted slightly, cracked or have loose bedding mortar can allow water to enter.
Older homes in South Tampa and Westchase have wood-curbed skylights which have absorbed large amounts of moisture over the years. The wood curb feels solid but has soft areas inside which will not provide adequate attachment points for a seal or fastener.
Inspection Reports
The Tampa skylight inspection report provides a summary of the findings. Each component of the skylight is described in terms of its condition and noted as needing attention, repair, monitoring, or planning.
We don’t write inspection reports to try to sell you unnecessary repair work. If your skylight is in good shape, we’ll tell you that.
Skylight Inspection Before Buying a Home
As a home buyer in Tampa, if the home you are purchasing has skylights then a dedicated skylight inspection would be a good investment. A home inspector can go through and identify many things in a short amount of time but a specific roofing contractor who works with skylights on a daily basis will catch things that a general home inspection will miss.
We work with buyers, sellers and real estate agents in Brandon, Wesley Chapel, Carrollwood, Lutz and the rest of the Tampa Bay area.
Schedule a Skylight Inspection
Tampa residents and homebuyers can count on Avatar Roofing for skylight inspections. We come out to your home, inspect every inch of your skylights while on your roof, and give you an accurate assessment of condition.
We schedule our services by phone call. We serve the Tampa area, including South Tampa and Hyde Park, as well as the communities of Westchase, Carrollwood, Lutz, Brandon, and Wesley Chapel. If you have a skylight, it is worth finding out the condition of the skylight.
