Hi guys. I’m Griff & I’m new to the boards.
I have a client who added an addition to his house about 15 years ago (I didn’t do this). Top quality materials throughout cathedral ceiling room. Has quite a number of very high priced casement windows, exterior screened french doors and 2 operating skylights installed. They were manufactured by that well known, expensive window company out in mid-west known as Polo or Pellet or Pelladin…you get the idea?
Now, both skylights are leaking because flashing from the top of the unit about the area where the hinge is, above the top edge of the glass, that had been installed either wore out or popped out of where it had been installed. This high priced well known screen rolling company claims it no longer manufactures this model or design of skylight and can’t offer any help, or advice, or parts, in repairing it.
Owner hates to pull them out due to amount of both investment cost and replacement/repair cost. Can’t say I blame him. They’re going to have to be pulled anyway to check for rot. But what goes back in: these lights, others, none? Roof is in good condition and step flashing along top and sides appears OK. By looking you can see light through flashing on top of unit.
Anyone ever hear of skylights wearing out and needing replacement? What should be the expected lifespan of a properly installed, supposedly quality operating skylight? Any ideas on repairs short of full replacement. On inspection, I don’t see where I could attach any new flashing to cover area of leak without risking damage to glass or interfering with opening of skylight. Owner’s frantic attempts at caulking served no purpose.
Any ideas gratefully appreciated. Thanks.
Griff
Replies
I don't know how much you charge but at about $400 per skylight, a customer can easily eat up the same cost in my labor just TALKING about what to do, what to do, all the pros and cons. You can replace these fopr less labor cost than repairing those.
Give him two estimates; one for total replcement with gaurantee, another for repair with no gaurantee. Probably won't be ten dollars difference. Don't waste his time or yours talking. let him see the numbers and decide for himself. Makes life easier.
If truth hurts, so be it. It's OK to say Pella here. I've had my bad experiences with them too.
I'm a little confused about what is leaking, Griff. All the curb mounted skylights I've seen have extruded alluminum frames around the glass. One leg of the alluminum lays flat against the glass, the other extends perpendicular to the glass, down over the step flashing on the sides of the curb, and the top and bottom flashings of the curb as well.
That being said, I agree with piffin (like usual). Skylights are very reasonably priced these days. 15 years is nothing to write home about, but maybe that particular model had a poor design. Maybe that's why they discontinued it. I hear a lot of people crow about Pella. I don't think they're anything special.
Jim
This particular model required the contractor to install a piece of flashing to seal it.
Running across the top of the skylight (above the glass but before the unit ended) was a channel formed by 2 pieces of the aluminum coating that made up the frame of the skylight. Pella required the contractor to insert a piece of flashing into this channel (all across the top, from one side to the other, and down 2" on each top surface along the long side of the window) ---> [ <--- That little character to the left turned horizontal would be the shape of the channel as one would look down on the top of the unit. Goes across the top and down the top surface of each side for 2".
A one half inch piece of the flashing had to be inserted into that channel. The flashing ran horizontal to the edge of the window and then turned to run vertically down the side of the unit to the plywood forming the roof surface. The unit was fabricated sp the top 2" of the sides were also covered by this flashing. Step flashing would then be inserted as the roof was being shingled.
In other words, the window unit was separate from its flashing and the flashing had to be mechanically installed to make it weathertight.
Well, the prior contractor must not have had the piece of flashing installed in the channel all the way or otherwise installed improperly, because it's now loose on one side and when moved, I can look down into the cavity between the wooden frame of the skylight and the wooden framing of the house! The channel is too now mangled, not to mention the flashing, to permit a repair and, besides, Pella doesn't fabricate this part anymore.
Hope that's not too confusing to understand.
Griff
That doesn't sound like a very good design. All the more convincing a reason to ditch those things and get some modern ones.
You're absolutely right, Jim. That's what I told the homeowner.
However, his question to me that I could not answer with any finality, and the one I posed on this thread, is in the normal course of events will his next skylight wear out and start to leak?
His thinking is that he bought, or thought he bought quality products. I mean, Pella, right?
So, has anyone ever heard of a tendency among skylights when properly installed to leak over time?
Same question but with Velux skylights?
Homeowner's dilemma: remove and replace or remove and cover-up.
Thanks.
Griff
I have a velux in my home that is 17 years old and in its second building. No leaks. We put velux in over 25 years ago and have heard no complaints but the owners probably wouldn't know who to contact with a complaint after all these years. The flashing should outlast the glass.
Schellingm - how's about contacting the 25 year ago and asking them. We'd all like to know. And so would Pella and Velux.
- WebTrooper -
"If it ain't broke, break it"
My partner has a velux over his bed that he put in in 1979. Of course most skylights of any brand are probably fine; we only hear about the problems.
Replace the skylights
Oh, and I think the brand you're refering to is Pella.
- WebTrooper -
"Do it once by doing it right."
Sounds like we're talking Pella.......so why not just say it.....do you work for them? Velux are the Rolls Royces of skylights IMHO but I've built my own with no leaks ever. Its all in the flashing.....Its really a very simple concept for tried and true reno guys like us. If its Pella then say so and we'll work em over real good here if you installed it properly
Be well
Namaste
Andy
It's not who's right, it's who's left ~ http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Thanks for the responses everyone. I appreciate your thoughts.
Yes, Pella is the culprit. But, being new here I didn't know what the custom was about identifying particular companies by name. So I gave everyone a hint that I thought would be clear enough to figure out.
Prior to the homeowner ever contacting me (he couldn't find the original contractor who installed them), he told me, a rep from Pella came, saw and left saying they appeared to have been installed correctly and beyond that he had no explanation for why what happened did happen. Except to say that all skylights wear out and leak over time.
Frankly, I've never seen a properly installed skylight leak and certainly not from "wearing out" and not after only 15 years, but I wanted to see if anyone else had any other experiences. Especially since I've only been doing this for about 16-17 years.
What has him upset is the risk of investing more $ on new skylights that will leak 15 years or so down the road. He can certainly afford the $ to install new ones but does not want to do that if they're just going to "wear out" and leak. That's the nub of it.
I was thinking of $400-500 per on labor to replace them depending on how bad the rot may be, with interior work extra, although I may drop it a bit if it becomes part of a larger project that he's considering. And, yes, Velux would be my only choice for a skylight too.
Didn't mention it before, but the finish on the hinges and locks of the Pella french doors is %#@*. All pitted and rusted. And they were on the sheltered north side of the house. What garbage!
Griff
Griff,
Welcome in BTW.
Just to tickle their tits a little, you might try something, if you'ver got the time.
Find a way to post some pictures of these things here to educate us all a little further about what can happen to brand P skylights. Send copies of the same photos to Pella. I'm betting they have a website with an e-mail adress and you could even link them to this thread. Point out that the Pella rep wasn't able to serve your customers well and that it was impinging on their reputation. Ask whether the rep was indeed correct or just under trained in technical help and customer satisfaction or whether his story is indeed the official Pella line on these. (personally, I don't buy it)
You never can tell - The free positive advertising they could get out of all of us knowing that they had really helped you out with this would be worth their atention. The reply they make would definitly be educational for us. We would learn if they are a legitimate company, committed to their customers or full of BS.Excellence is its own reward!
Extraordinary idea piffin! I love it.
Stay tuned to this channel.
Griff
Construction Terms Defined in Laymans terms:
Skylight: A 1000$ Hole in an otherwise funtioning roof system.
See also: Money pit, Cash Cow, Liability, Job Security
Replace w/ Velux, Use Bitchathane, (not some cheap imitation) Follow directions.
Nuff said
TDo not try this at home!
I am a trained professional!
Use Bitchathane
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I hate to try to spell that word too!Excellence is its own reward!