There was just a big rain in your area and you spent most of it placing buckets or pans underneath your skylight to catch the leaky drips. You have had enough and decided it is time to remove the leaking skylight. What to do with your ceiling after removing the skylights? Well, you are going to concealing the ceiling hole left after removing a skylight. The good news is this is a do-it-yourself job.
Let’s take a look at your options after you remove the skylight from your ceiling.
What Options Do You Have When Removing Skylights From the Ceiling
The best options to consider when sealing up the skylight hole or converting the skylight hole are as follows:
Alternative Lighting Options
Two alternative light options are canister lights or pendant lights. Both can be hung from the ceiling, once the skylight opening is closed off. Simply sheetrock off the lower portion of the opening once the roof opening has been filled in. Running the electrical wires through the attic space will be a nice touch and add the lighting you desire in replace of the skylight.
Stained Glass Option
The stained glass look with lighting will allow you to keep some natural-looking light in the room as a replacement for your skylight. The look will also appear clean and as if it was meant to be this way from the beginning.
How To Repair The Opening in Ceiling After Removing Skylights
In order to disguise your ceiling and keep it looking modern after you have removed your skylights, you will want to do the following steps:
- Use the frame and create an area of a nailing surface-install a 1×1 frame around the four wall spaces of the skylight cutout.
- Measure out the new hole-after cutting back the drywall you will measure corner to corner for the new dimensions.
- Add your insulation-use fiberglass insulation as it is fire retardant.
- Patch and paint the new drywall-install new drywall and tape the drywall off on the seams and then apply paint to conceal and match the existing paint.
Following these steps and making sure that the paint used matches the ceiling paint will allow you to ensure a smooth transition from the repair.
The Cost of Removing The Skylight
The national average cost for removing a skylight is around $225. This includes materials and labor costs. If you are looking to repair or replace the skylight, you will be looking at an average of $400 to $1,700 for replacement costs.
Other Recommended Maintenance
Leaking skylights can cause concern. However, they are repairable and typically an inexpensive fix. Consider a simple repair rather than a full removal of the skylight opening.
Use a roof inspection checklist to know what areas of the roof to check for maintenance and to find issues before they become problems.
While on the roof taking care of your skylight removal, you will also want to check for any moss growth on your roof. Cleaning the roof and removing the moss is a great idea at this time.
When Do I Call A Professional
Call a professional to get your roof inspected by a professionally licensed roofing contractor. They will be able to quote you on the removal of your skylight and at the same time provide an up-to-date roofing inspection. Getting this done all at once saves time and money.
Conclusion
DIY projects will save you some money. However, it might not be the best solution for removing a skylight. Understanding the roofing codes of your home and how to keep the roof sealed properly is vital to the longevity of your roof.
It’s always a great idea to call or schedule an inspection with Alpha Building Inspections, Merrimack, NH, and surrounding areas. They can conduct a roof inspection and recommend what your needs might be during the removal of a skylight.
