Fixed units
A fixed unit adds light without moving parts sized to the rafter bay.
Exterior Services
Skylight Installation Westfield, NJ
A roofing contractor in Westfield can add fixed or venting skylights to most pitched roofs, with a proper flashing kit so the opening stays dry, and help you choose between a fixed unit, a venting unit or a tube. Dial (908) 728-6005 to talk with a local roofer about adding a skylight.
A well installed skylight brings in daylight for decades without a single leak, and the difference is almost entirely in the framing and flashing. Installation means opening the roof, framing the hole so the rafters still carry the load, setting the skylight and lapping its flashing into the roofing. Below the roof, a light shaft runs through the attic to the ceiling, and that shaft is framed, insulated and drywalled.
There are a few kinds of skylights, and each suits a different room. Venting skylights help in bathrooms and kitchens, and fixed units work anywhere you just want light. Solar tubes, also called tubular skylights, use a small dome on the roof and a reflective tube to bring light into closets, hallways and small baths where a full shaft is not practical.
A few details help plan the project. Note which room you want brightened, which way that part of the roof faces and whether the room gets hot in summer. Say whether a reroof is coming up, since that changes the best timing.
If the problem goes deeper than it first looked, a Westfield roofer may also recommend skylight repair or roof installation.
Need skylight installation in Westfield? Call (908) 728-6005 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Westfield.
Call nowThe process
The skylight installation process
The work happens in a set order, from layout to the finished ceiling.
Lay out the opening
The roofer checks the rafter spacing, the attic space, wiring and ductwork, then picks a size and spot that lines up with the room below. A unit that fits between rafters avoids cutting structural framing.
Cut the opening
The roofer cuts the deck, frames the opening with doubled headers and keeps the rafters supported. The framing has to be right before anything else goes in.
Seat the frame
The unit goes in according to its type, either straight onto the deck or onto a framed curb. Ice and water membrane around the frame is the backup layer.
Flash the skylight
The flashing kit is installed from the bottom up so each piece laps over the one below it. Done this way, the skylight sheds water like the rest of the roof.
Build the light shaft
A light well is built from the skylight to the ceiling, insulated well to limit heat loss and condensation. Flaring the shaft spreads light across more of the room.
What is included
What skylight installation covers
Solar tubes
A small roof dome and reflective tube bring light into tight spaces with a ceiling diffuser below.
Opening framing
Structural framing is added where the roof is cut so the roof stays strong.
Shaft finishing
The opening inside is trimmed out cleanly with insulation on the attic side.
Opening skylights
Skylights that open let heat and moisture escape to clear humid air.
Related service
Skylight Replacement Westfield, NJ
Skylight replacement swaps an old or leaking unit for a new one in the same opening, along with a new flashing kit. Many replacements fit the same opening, though older curb-mounted domes are often replaced with a modern glass unit sized to the existing curb. Reusing old flashing defeats the point, so a new kit is installed every time.
Many Westfield homeowners replace skylights along with the roof, since the flashing has to come apart anyway. A skylight that is as old as the roof is likely to need attention again before the new roof is worn out. Ask about upgrades such as venting operation and laminated glass when choosing the new unit.
Related service
Solar Tube Installation Westfield, NJ
A solar tube, or tubular skylight, uses a small dome on the roof and a highly reflective tube to carry light down to a ceiling diffuser. Because the tube fits between rafters, the roof framing stays as it is. Elbows in the tube let it reach a ceiling spot that is not directly under the dome.
A Westfield homeowner looking to light a windowless bathroom or hall often finds a solar tube is the best fit. The dome on the roof is flashed into the shingles the same way any roof penetration is, with the flashing base lapped under the course above. A sleeve of insulation in the attic keeps the tube from sweating in cold weather.
Local help
Skylight Installation Near Me
In Westfield, homeowners often add skylights to kitchens, bathrooms and upstairs rooms that get little daylight. Across Westfield and nearby communities including Garwood, Cranford, Mountainside and Fanwood, the best results come from skylights placed with the roof slope and the room layout in mind, which is why the attic check comes before any cutting.
Searching for skylight installation near me from Westfield or Garwood, Cranford, Mountainside and Fanwood? Call (908) 728-6005 to talk to a roofer who works in your part of town.
Roofs in this climate
Cold winters bring snow, ice and a long stretch of freezing nights. Heat escaping from the attic melts snow on the upper roof, and the water refreezes at the colder eaves, which is how ice dams form and back water up under the shingles. Strong coastal storms push rain into every weak spot at the flashing and valleys. Most homeowners in Westfield, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why act early
Smaller repairs
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Local knowledge
Roofers in Westfield know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Straight answers
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Common questions about skylight installation
Will a new skylight leak?
A properly flashed skylight should stay dry for as long as the roof around it. Water stays out when every flashing piece laps over the one below it. Ask how the roofer plans to flash the unit before work starts.
Does a skylight need a permit?
Whether a permit is required depends on the local building department. Structural changes generally need a permit, and the roofer will know what applies. A roofer in Westfield can check with the building department.
Which way should a skylight face?
The direction the slope faces changes how the skylight performs. North-facing skylights give steady, even light with little heat, while south and west-facing units bring more light and more summer heat. The roofer can help balance light, heat and the layout of the room below.
What is the difference between a skylight and a solar tube?
A skylight is a full window in the roof with a framed shaft, while a solar tube uses a small dome and a reflective tube to carry light down. Larger rooms and vaulted ceilings are a good match for a skylight. Solar tubes suit closets, halls and small bathrooms.
Should I install a skylight when I replace my roof?
A reroof is the best time to add or replace skylights. With the old roofing off, the opening and flashing can be done cleanly. A skylight added to an older roof may need new flashing again when the roof is replaced.
More questions? Call (908) 728-6005
Other services that may help
Skylight Repair
Repairs for skylight leaks, failed glass seals and worn flashing kits, so the opening stays dry through every storm.
Learn moreRoof Installation
Putting on a new roof the way the material maker intends, whether it is asphalt shingles, metal or another material.
Learn moreFlashing Repair
Fixing the metal flashing at walls, dormers, valleys and roof edges, with new metal instead of another layer of caulk.
Learn moreRoof Replacement
Replacing an aging roof with new underlayment, flashing, vents and roofing, so the house is dry for decades instead of seasons.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesNeed skylight installation in Westfield, NJ?
Call (908) 728-6005 for a local roofer in Westfield and nearby towns.