Standard skylights are notorious leakers and high-end, well-flashed units are expensive. Do the benefits outweigh the extra cost?
There is a misconception in the market that all skylights leak and the cost of skylights that don’t leak outweighs the benefit. However, there are high-performance fixed skylight units on the market that are very cost competitive and pay for themselves many times in less than two years. It comes down to the fact that building designers and specifiers need to do their research into the complete framing and glazing design of the unit they specify. Just as in roofing, details to design and moisture control are not equal in all units. However, it doesn’t mean that a better design has to cost substantially more. Does the unit use multiple seals and if those seals fail, where does the water go? Does the unit have condensation control on the inside of the unit and if interior moisture builds up, where does it go? Does it have insulated thermal breaks or even foam curb seals and sweeps to protect against driving wind and moisture to the unit? Daylighting with skylights is a powerful energy too
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