I've had problems with my skylight leaking into the conditioned space (roughly 1 gallon per storm), but I think it've fixed it for the short term by replacing its screws and caulking it. I don't see any water in the conditioned space now. I suspect that the fix won't hold up for long, but I'm hoping to buy some time to flash it until I can get my whole roof replaced.
In the meantime, I'd like to avoid costly damage to the drywall and trim below it (as well as mold!). Part of me fears that the light is still leaking to the attic but not to the conditioned space, creating an invisible risk of rot.
Is there a good way to detect small leaks in that area so that I can intervene before it becomes a big issue again? I don't need an immediate alert. It would be sufficient for me to crawl into the space every few weeks to check some type of indicator.
Best Answer
Rather than trying to find the location of the leak, I’d re-seal and re-flash the entire skylight.
I’m sure it’s not that large and if you fix one side of it today, then another side will have a problem next year.
I’d follow the manufacturers installation instructions if you have them. If not, I’d use “peel and stick” tape on all sides and make sure the tape correctly laps previous laps.