Seasonal Maintenance Checklist: Preparing Your Skylights for Winter and Storm Season

Skylights bring in natural light, reduce reliance on artificial lighting, and add architectural interest to both homes and commercial buildings. However, winter and storm seasons can put serious strain on them. Ice, snow, heavy rainfall, hail, and strong winds can expose weak spots in the skylights. These hazards lead to costly repairs if problems are ignored.

Whether you’re a luxury homeowner or property manager, seasonal skylight maintenance helps prevent:

• Leaks and water damage from failing seals, flashing, or cracked glass.
• Energy loss from poor insulation or glazing. Glazing is the glass or plastic layer that covers the skylight and helps insulate your space.
• Structural damage to the frame or surrounding roof.
• Safety hazards like shattered glazing under stress or mold buildup from trapped moisture.

Taking time each season to inspect and maintain your skylights keeps them working safely and can extend their lifespan by years.

Why Problems Often Appear in Winter

Skylights can perform well most of the year but struggle in winter. Here’s why:

• Freezing and thawing: Water that enters small cracks expands when it freezes. Hence, it can damage or further damage skylights and your roof
• Snow load: Accumulated snow puts weight on glazing and frames. If seals are weak, meltwater can back up and leak through.
• Ice dams: Poor insulation around skylights can cause warm air to melt snow unevenly, then refreeze at the edges, forcing water under the shingles.
• Wind-driven rain: Heavy wind can push water into places it should not go to especially through lifted flashing or bad seals.

Why Problems Often Appear in Storm Season

You might go months without noticing any issues, then suddenly face a leak or crack after a big storm. That’s because storm season puts extra pressure on skylight systems in ways regular weather doesn’t.

Here’s why problems tend to show up during storms:

• Wind-driven rain: Strong winds push rain sideways or upward, forcing water into tiny gaps around the skylight that wouldn’t leak under normal conditions.
• Heavy downpours: Torrential rain can overwhelm drainage paths or expose weak seals that can’t keep up with the water volume.
• Sudden temperature shifts: Storm fronts can bring fast drops in temperature. That can cause materials to expand or contract, loosening seals or stressing older glass.
• Flying debris: Branches, roof tiles, or other debris carried by wind can hit the skylight and cause chips or cracks.
• Pressure changes: Severe storms create air pressure shifts. If a skylight is poorly sealed, this can cause it to flex or allow air and water to push in.
• Blocked drainage from storm debris: Leaves, twigs, or roofing material blown around during storms can block gutters or the area around the skylight, causing water to back up and seep in.

Your Seasonal Skylight Maintenance Checklist

Here’s a detailed checklist you can follow each fall and early winter to make sure your skylights are storm and winter-ready:

1. Inspect Flashing and Seals

The flashing is the metal or rubber component that seals your skylight to the surrounding roof. Seals run around the edge of the glass or frame. Over time, both can degrade due to UV exposure, shifting temperatures, or movements in the roof.

What to do:

• Check for rust, cracking, lifting, or gaps.
• Reseal or replace damaged flashing or caulking
• Tighten any loose fasteners

Why it matters: Even small gaps can let water in during heavy rain or melting snow, causing leaks or rot beneath the roofline.

2. Check Glass and Glazing

Cracks, chips, or fogging in skylight glass may seem minor, but they can let in moisture, reduce insulation, or get worse under snow load or ice pressure.

What to do:

• Look for visible cracks or hazy glazing
• Replace damaged panels or glass units as needed
• Make sure the glazing tape or sealant is intact

Why it matters: Winter storms often bring sudden temperature drops and pressure from ice or snow, which cause glass to crack and break.

3. Clean Skylight Surfaces and Clear Drainage

Leaves, pine needles, moss, and debris can build up around skylights, especially in the fall. That buildup can trap moisture or block proper drainage, which can cause leaks and water damage inside homes and buildings.

What to do:

• Gently sweep or rinse away debris
• Use a non-abrasive cleaner for glass
• Ensure roof drainage (gutters, scuppers) is clear

Why it matters: Clogged channels or debris around the skylight edge can lead to pooling water. This increases leak risk during storm season.

4. Inspect the Interior

Not all skylight issues show up outside. Water stains, condensation, or noticeable cold air around the skyline are early warning signs that something’s wrong.

What to do:

• Check the ceiling around skylights for peeling paint or stains
• Monitor for indoor condensation buildup
• Look for signs of mold or mildew near the frame

Why it matters: Condensation can lead to mold, and unnoticed leaks can slowly rot your roofing structure or drywall.

5. Test Moving Parts

If your skylight can be opened or has built-in vents, check all the parts that help it move, like hinges, cranks, motors, or sliding tracks. Cold weather can cause these parts to stick, jam, or stop working properly.

What to do:

• Open and close the skylight fully
• Lubricate joints with silicone-safe lubricant
• Replace broken or sticky parts

Why it matters: You don’t want to discover your skylight is stuck open or won’t close during a winter storm.

6. Check Insulation and Weatherproofing

Proper attic insulation and weatherstripping around your skylight can make a big difference in winter performance. Weatherstripping is the rubber or foam seals that block air leaks.

What to do:

• Inspect insulation around the skylight curb from the attic side
• Look for missing, compressed, or water-damaged insulation
• Replace or add weatherstripping if you feel cold drafts

Why it matters: Poor insulation leads to heat loss, ice dams, and higher energy bills.

7. Recheck After Major Storms

Even if your skylight looks fine now, a single storm can change that. High winds, hail, or heavy snow can loosen flashing, crack glazing, or open seals.

What to do:

• Re-inspect your skylights after each major weather event
• Look for new leaks, damage, or signs of stress
• Document issues for warranty or insurance claims

Why it matters: Inspecting early signs of damage allows for faster and less costly repairs.

Safe and Effective Cleaning Tips

Cleaning your skylight is part of seasonal maintenance. However, safety and proper techniques matter. Avoid harsh chemicals and unsafe ladders.

Tips:

• Use a soft brush or sponge with a non-abrasive cleaner
• Avoid pressure washing or harsh scrubbing
• Use an extension pole if possible, or hire help for second-story access
• Clean both the interior and exterior if accessible

Bonus tip: Clean skylights bring in more natural light and can reduce the need for artificial lighting during the shorter winter days.

When to Call a Professional

Not all skylight problems are DIY-friendly. Here’s when it’s best to call in a skylight expert:

• You see visible cracks, warping, or rotted framing
• Your skylight is leaking repeatedly, even after resealing
• You don’t have safe access to inspect or repair the skylight
• Your skylight is part of a commercial system or complex roof layout

Professionals can provide certified inspection reports, help with warranty documentation, and offer high-quality repairs or replacements that match local codes.

Maintenance Timeline: A Quick Reference

Here’s a simplified seasonal timeline you can follow:

Why Choose Skylight Concepts for Maintenance and Repairs

When it comes to skylight maintenance, especially before winter or storm season, you want a team that knows what they’re doing. Skylight Concepts understands the unique challenges they face, and we know how to fix problems before they turn into expensive damage.

Here’s what sets us apart:

• Skylight specialists: We don’t just offer skylight services. We’re built around them. From design to repairs, it’s what we do every day.
• Built for local weather: We work across regions with heavy storms, hot summers, and cold winters, so we know what materials and techniques hold up.
• No outsourcing: All of our inspection, repair, and installation work is done by our in-house team. You’ll know who’s on your roof and what they’re doing.
• Clean and careful work: We show up on time, keep the area tidy, and respect your space, whether it’s a home or commercial building.
• Straightforward guidance: We’ll let you know exactly what’s working, what’s not, and whether it’s time for a repair or a full replacement. 

Whether you need a quick checkup or a full skylight replacement before storm season or winter, we’re here to make sure your system is safe, sealed, and built to last.

A Little Maintenance Goes a Long Way

Seasonal skylight maintenance doesn’t take much time, but skipping it can cost you. Whether you’re preparing for winter’s freeze or bracing for a heavy rainstorm, the steps in this blog will help protect your skylight and everything beneath it.

If you notice damage or want help getting your skylights winter-ready, we’re here to help. Our team works with both luxury homeowners and commercial property managers to inspect, repair, and upgrade skylights for year-round performance.

Schedule your winter or winter skylight inspection today!