Skylights afford the beauty of daylight in an inner space. A skylight involves cutting a whole into the ceiling, and surrounding it with flashing to prevent leaks while permitting the natural light to enter the room from above. There are many advantages of a skylight. The presence of the skylight will brighten any room where it is installed and bring the beauty of the outside world indoors!
Here are some things to be aware of as you learn how to install a skylight in your own home:
• Installation of a skylight is not a simple DIY project. Because it involves cutting through the roof of the house, extra care must be taken to ensure that there is no possibility of leakage. That plus the challenge of working up high poses some changes not common to routine DIY projects.
• The skylight kit you purchase for installation should have directions along with the unit about cutting the hole to the size required to accommodate the skylight.
• The skylight kit should also include instructions for framing it to receive the actual skylight, with added instructions pertaining to the installation of the flashing from the kit to prevent any leaking around the hole itself.
• Extra care should be taken when cutting through the drywall in the ceiling. Any leakage from the skylight can compromise the lifespan and appearance of the ceiling.
• Once the skylight is in place, be certain that you are aware of how to open the skylight, if it opens at all. Be sure you understand how to reseal the unit once it is opened to ensure a tight seal.