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InspectAPedia ® Home EXTERIORS of buildings ADHESIVES, EXTERIOR CONSTRUCTION AGE of a BUILDING - how to determine ALGAE, FUNGUS, LICHENS, MOSS ANIMAL ENTRY POINTS in buildings ANIMAL ODORS IN buildings ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING COMPONENT ID ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN buildings ATTIC CONDENSATION CAUSE & CURE BASEMENT WATERPROOFING BEST CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES GUIDE BOOKSTORE - EXTERIORS BUILDING SETTLEMENT CARPENTER ANTS CARPENTER BEES CAULK GUN TYPES, CHOICES CAULKS & SEALANTS, EXTERIOR CONNECTORS, FASTENERS, TIES CRAWL SPACES DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION EIFS & STUCCO EXTERIORS EXTERIOR WALL SIDING TRIM & FINISHES EXTRACTIVE BLEEDING STAINS FLASHING MEMBRANES PEEL & STICK FLASHING SIDING DETAILS FLASHING WALL DETAILS FLASHING WINDOW DETAILS GALVANIC SCALE & METAL CORROSION GLUES ADHESIVES, EXTERIOR CONSTRUCTION GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS HOUSE PARTS, DEFINITIONS HOUSEWRAP / SHEATHING WRAP HOUSEWRAP INSTALLATION DETAILS HOUSEWRAP PRODUCT CHOICES HOUSEWRAP at SILLS, SOLES, TOP PLATES HUMIDITY LEVEL TARGET INDOOR AIR QUALITY & HOUSE TIGHTNESS INSECT INFESTATION / DAMAGE KIT HOMES, Aladdin, Sears, Wards, Others LEAD POISONING HAZARDS GUIDE LEED GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION LOG HOME GUIDE METAL LATH, PLASTER & STUCCO MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE PAINT & STAIN GUIDE, EXTERIOR PAINT FALURE, DIAGNOSIS, CURE, PREVENTION PAINT FAILURE DICTIONARY PAINT SURFACE PREPARATION PAINTING MISTAKES PORCHES & Sunrooms PORCH CONSTRUCTION & SCREENING ROT RESISTANT LUMBER ROT, TIMBER FRAME ROT, TIMBER ASSESSMENT SEARS KIT HOUSES SMELL PATCH TEST to Track Down Odors SOUND CONTROL in buildings STAINS on & in BUILDINGS, CAUSES & CURES STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING EXTERIORS STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS STONE CLEANING METHODS STUCCO WAll FAILURES DUE TO WEATHER STUCCO WALL METHODS & INSTALLATION TERMITES TEST KITS for DUST, MOLD, PARTICLE TESTS Thermal Expansion Cracking of Brick THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS THERMAL IMAGING, THERMOGRAPHY THERMAL MASS in BUILDINGS TREES & SHRUBS, TRIM OFF BUILDING TRIM, EXTERIOR CHOICES, INSTALLATION VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION in buildings VAPOR BARRIERS, VINYL SIDING VENTILATION in BUILDINGS VINYL CHLORIDE HEALTH INFO VINYL Siding or PLASTIC Window ODORS Volatile Organic Compounds VOCs WALL CONSTRUCTION BARRIER vs CAVITY WATER BARRIERS, EXTERIOR BUILDING WATER ENTRY in buildings WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS WIND TURBINES & LIGHTNING WINDOWS & DOORS WINTERIZE A BUILDING More Information |
Skylight flashing details: here we provide details about framing the skylight opening, constructing the skylight well or chute, sealing the skylight, flashing around skylights to avoid leaks, and protecting from ice dams and ice dam leaks at skylights. We also discuss how to install a skylight on low slope roofs and on very steep roofs. Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman. Skylight Installation Procedures
In this article series we discuss the selection and installation of windows and doors, following best construction and design practices for building lighting and ventilation, with attention to the impact on building heating and cooling costs, indoor air quality, and comfort of occupants. We review the proper installation details for windows and doors, and we compare the durability of different window and door materials and types. See WINDOWS & DOORS our home page for window and door information, and also see WINDOW TYPES - Photo Guide for a photographic guide to window and door types and architectural styles. According to Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction Chapter 3, BEST PRACTICES GUIDE: WINDOWS & DOORS: Skylight Opening FramingTake care when framing skylight openings to make the opening as accurate and square as possible. T his will simplify both the installation and trim, since most skylight designs leave little margin for error where the interior finish meets the frame. Unless using a skylight designed to fit between 16- or 24-inch on-center framing, you will need to head off the opening and use double trimmers on either side. For truss roofs, consult the truss designer or an engineer before modifying the truss plan or cutting an existing truss. In new construction, trusses are typically doubled on either side of the opening with 2x cross pieces framed in “ladder” fashion. The Skylight Window Well: the Light Well
Our photo (left) shows a wood-framed skylight well (the builder called them "shoots", meaning "chutes") in a truss-framed roof in Minnesota -DF. To frame a perfect skylight well the builder actually constructed the shell on the floor below then lifted and nailed it into place below the skylight. We took care to assure that the sides of the skylight well were insulated. With an attic, the top side of the well is typically framed perpendicular to the roof plane and the bottom and sides are framed plumb. For small skylight wells, the opening can be created with 3/4-inch plywood while larger openings are typically built like stud walls. Make sure the well is sealed tightly against air infiltration and well-insulated to guard against condensation on the skylight or sides of the well. It is also possible to splay the two sides of a skylight well in addition to the top and bottom sides, although the framing and drywall are a lot more complicated. To keep the four sides of the skylight window well flat, the bottom of the opening must be shaped like a trapezoid, wider on the high side of the opening. You can just see that feature in our skylight photo above. To keep the opening rectangular at the ceiling plane, the two sides become curved like twisted strips of plastic. This requires framing with angled struts and bending the drywall. Either approach makes for a complicated framing job. Also see Skylight Light Tubes. Sealing the Underlayment at Skylights
Detail corners carefully using patches of moldable flashing (see FLASHING MEMBRANES PEEL & STICK) if necessary. Tuck the top piece of membrane under the roofing felt above, and lap the lower piece over the roofing felt below. With ganged window units, use a single strip of membrane between each unit, running down one skylight frame, across the mullion, and up the next skylight frame. Ice Dam Protection for Skylights
Skylight Flashing Details
Most major skylight manufacturers provide flashing kits for asphalt shingles as well as specialty flashings for tile and metal roofing, typically with a wraparound head flashing and moldable apron flashing that conforms to the roofing profile. With asphalt shingles, avoid skylights that provide only a continuous side flashing, which relies on roofing cement for a waterproof seal. Step flashing is much more reliable. With metal roofing, use the manufacturer supplied kit or have the roofing contractor fabricate a matching flashing from the metal roofing material. While a custom flashing can create a more attractive installation, make sure the corners of the head flashing are properly sealed with solder or a high-performance caulk. Also see SKYLIGHT LEAK DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR Skylight Installation on Low Slope Roofs
The raised skylight curb should be sealed on all sides with peel-and-stick membrane carefully sealed at all corners, as in Figure 3-21.
Skylight Installations on Steep SlopesFor very steep slopes, such as mansards, skylight manufactures typically recommend a water deflector or Z-flashing to safely divert water around the unit. Check with the manufacturer for steep-slope requirements. Skylight Manufacturers & Product SourcesAndersen Windows and Doors www.andersenwindows.com Skylights and roof windows with exterior sash clad with glass-fiber-reinforced material Milgard Windows and Doors www.milgard.com Skylights with aluminum frames (thermal break optional) with vinyl subframes on operable models; optional motorized controls with rain sensor Pella Windows and Doors www.pella.com Wood interior, aluminum exterior, optional motorized controls, and manual or motorized fabric-pleated shades Roto Frank of America www.roofwindows.com Wood interior, aluminum exterior, optional motorized controls, and manual or motorized fabric-pleated shades; Sweet16 model fits 16 in. o.c. framing Velux America Inc. www.velux.com Skylights and roof windows with wood interior and aluminum-clad exterior. Options include insect screens, blinds, motorized controls and shades with rain sensor, electrochromatic glass, and flashing kits for metal and tile roofs and mulled units Skylight Light Tube Manufacturers & Sources SolaTube www.solatube.com Light tubes from 10 to 21 in. in diameter; options include electrical lighting, daylight dimmer, and integral bath fan Sun-Tek Skylights www.sun-tek.com Light tubes from 10 to 21 in. in diameter; options include electrical lighting and multitube Spyder skylight Velux America Inc. www.velux.com Sun Tunnel light tubes from 14 to 22 in. in diameter with flexible or rigid tubes Industry Associations for Windows & DoorsAmerican Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) www.aamanet.org Efficient Windows Collaborative www.efficientwindows.org National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) www.nfrc.org Sustainable by Design www.susdesign.com Shareware calculators for sun angles, solar heat gain, and shading Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) www.wdma.com -- Adapted and paraphrased, edited, and supplemented, with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Installing Roof SkylightsQuestion: how do I install a skylight across several rafters?I am a member of Church of God in Christ Mennonite. My husband is an air force veteran from 73 to 77. We are building a new house in Deridder,Louisiana. We are planing soon to install a skylight for over the kitchen island. Our kitchen faces directly South. We hace an 8 in 12 roof. The house has 8 ft 9 inch ceilings and 8 inch walls. The island runs north and south and is 7 foot by 4 foot. Our skylight is a Velux (Velux skylight model # GGL P10 3073). We want to install the skylight longways with the island in a position that the average sun angle peremeter hits the northmost edge of the countertop. The island will be 36 inches tall with approx. 1 inch soapstone countertop. There should be a simple enough program for us to use to help us calculate the skylight placement. Thank-you for your help. - Anon Reply:
Skylight TypesUsing their terminology, Velux offers three types of residential skylights for applications where a building egress is not required through that opening: [adapted from information provided by Velux [3].]
Reader followup:We purchased the step flashing kits from Velux along with the skylights. The island as well as the skylight will run north and south. The ridge wll be north of the skylight and the eaves south which means the skyligt is running on the slope. Sorry, I wasn't clear on that. The gables face east and west. We obtained some information from noaa weather saying that our sun angles run from 36 degrees to 84 degrees in our area at noon throughout the year. Considering our allowable attic space, we were able to run the top of the north wall of the skylight well on a 65 degree angle down to the ceiling point directly over the north end of the counter. Not being used to installing skyligts, we will see how this works when we cut the hole and install the skylight. My carpenter has the installation instructions that came with the skylight and I plan to copy the instructions from your website as well for him. Thank-you vey much. Please leave my name anonomus. Thank-you again. P.S. Our goal is to light the large kitchen island as well as possible for the most amount of the year as possible. Reply:Sounds good, Just make sure that your flashing kit has a proper HEAD FLASHING along the uproof side of the skylight. What I intended to warn before is that step flashing won't work correctly along the up-roof or uppermost edge of the skylight. Velux and other skylight manufacturers provide specific head flashing for that location. Watch out: Also, if you purchased an operable (openable) skylight whose uppermost end is in its narrow axis and if you then rotate it to install it with a long axis uppermost, the window may not open, vent, nor function correctly. You can avoid all of these concerns by making sure you, your builder, and the skylight manufacturer/provider are all on the same page. The skylight series you cited, (Velux skylight model # GGL P10 3073), is a 94cm x 160cm operable (can be opened) skylight that includes a center pivot and a pine finish vent opening across the 94cm axis and that is intended to be mounted in the uppermost position. This skylight is designed for roof slopes from 15o to 90o. Contact information for Velux Corporation in the U.S. is
The company is happy to provide detailed installation instructions for their products and for the various flashing kits used with their skylights. ... Ask a Question or Search InspectApediaQuestions & answers or comments about roof skylight installation, framing, flashing installation, troubleshooting, repair. Ask a Question or Enter Search Terms in the InspectApedia search box just below. Technical Reviewers & ReferencesRelated Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
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