We have a 20 year old leaking skylight, and right now I am contemplating either removing or replacing it. Not exactly sure why it is leaking, perhaps the flashing is bad, but it's leaked for a while. One thought was perhaps it had to do with the actual skylight mechanism (this one used to open) So I'm thinking of replacing it with a sealed one or roofing over it. I've read a bit about the latter, and it seams to do it properly it's quite a bit of work, you have to tear out the framing structure, so that air flows to the peak, and make sure it is sealed an insulated like the rest of the structure. On the other hand, replacing the skylight will require re – flashing and perhaps changing the size of the frame a bit.
Water – Is it more work to replace or remove a skylight
roofroofingskylightwaterproofing
Best Answer
The real answer is: Don't do anything until you've identified the root cause. Find the leak. FLashing and sealant can be replaced a lot more easily than a whole new unit, not to mention the difference in cost and time.
Similarly, if there's a leak where the glass (and frame) separates from the support frame as you open the skylight, address that specifically.
Never start out by attempting the most expensive solution.