VELUX skylights,flashed in with the roof.
A skylight is a roofing detail before it is a window, and the best time to add one is while the roof is being replaced. We install VELUX deck-mount skylights, curb-mount units, and sun tunnels, and we build the flashing into the roof so the opening sheds water like the rest of it.
VELUX skylight installation, photo coming
The short answer
When should a skylight go in?
During your roof replacement. With the old roofing off, the skylight flashing goes on in the right sequence, over the underlayment and under the shingles, which is what keeps water out for the life of the roof. A skylight added as a retrofit means opening up finished roofing, so pairing it with the replacement saves money and gives the flashing its best shot at a long, dry life. If you are already planning a new roof and a dark hallway or kitchen has bothered you for years, this is the moment to fix both.
The lineup
Deck-mount vs curb-mount vs sun tunnel
The right unit depends on your roof pitch, whether a skylight already exists, and which room needs the light.
| Type | How it mounts | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Deck-mount | Directly on the roof sheathing, low profile | New skylights added during a roof replacement on a sloped roof |
| Curb-mount | On a raised wooden curb above the roofline | Low-slope roofs and replacing an existing curb-mounted unit |
| Sun tunnel | A reflective tube from roof to ceiling diffuser | Hallways, closets, and bathrooms where a full skylight will not fit |
Deck-mount
The clean install for a sloped roof.
A deck-mount unit sits directly on the sheathing, and its mounting flange lays flat under the roofing material, which is why it looks built into the roof rather than set on top of it. Sizes run from 14 by 27 inches up to 49 by 55. Fixed units bring in light, and venting units open for airflow, by pole or crank, or by remote on the electric and solar models. The electric units close themselves when a rain sensor gets wet, so an open skylight over the kitchen is not a problem when a storm rolls in while you are out.
VELUX deck-mount skylight installed, photo coming
VELUX curb-mount skylight replacement, photo coming
Curb-mount
The replacement path for older homes.
A curb-mount skylight sits on a wooden box frame that raises it above the roofline, which is how low-slope roofs shed water around the opening. Plenty of older Omaha homes already have one, and the curb is what makes replacement simple, because a new unit drops onto the existing frame without disturbing the roofing around it. The curb dimensions have to match the new unit, so we verify measurements before anything gets ordered.
Sun tunnels
Daylight for rooms with no roof access.
A sun tunnel carries daylight through a reflective tube, from a small dome on the roof down through the attic to a diffuser in the ceiling. The tubes come in 10 and 14 inch diameters and run up to 20 feet, which reaches most interior hallways, closets, and bathrooms. The install cuts a small opening in the roof and one in the ceiling, with no framing changes in between. An optional LED ring turns the diffuser into a light fixture after dark.
VELUX sun tunnel ceiling diffuser, photo coming
VELUX skylight flashing detail, photo coming
The details
Flashing is the whole job.
Step flashing wraps the sides and head of the unit, an apron catches water at the bottom, and every piece has to weave into the underlayment and shingles in the right order. Our winters add two more considerations. Snow piles on the uphill side of a skylight, and heat escaping around the shaft melts it faster than the surrounding roof, so the flashing has to handle refreeze at the eaves. The glass side is covered too, because the Low-E coating and argon fill keep the pane warm enough that interior condensation stays manageable, and weep holes drain what little forms.
Who's behind it
Built on a builder's standard.
Tailwind Roofing is led by David Nelan, with 25+ years in the trades, two decades of it building and finishing exteriors across the Omaha metro, and a Class B contractor's license. A skylight is a hole in a roof until the flashing is right, and every VELUX install is held to the standard he has worked to since 2003.
Questions
Common questions about VELUX skylights
When is the best time to add a skylight?
During a roof replacement. With the roofing off, the flashing sequences the way it should, over the underlayment and under the shingles, and the deck is open for a clean cut. A retrofit works too, but it means removing and rebuilding the roofing around the opening, which adds cost and adds seams to a roof that already had none.
Do skylights leak?
A skylight leaks when the flashing around it was done wrong, not because the unit itself fails. VELUX units use metal step flashing up the sides and head with an apron at the bottom, and when that flashing is woven into the underlayment and shingles in the right order, the opening sheds water the same way the rest of the roof does. That is why we like installing them while the roof is open.
Do skylights raise energy costs?
Modern VELUX glass carries a Low-E coating and argon fill, so the unit performs about like a quality window. The daylight also cuts down on electric lighting during the day. Size, quantity, orientation, and glazing all play into the final energy picture, and a north-facing slope keeps summer heat gain low if that is a concern for the room.
How long do VELUX skylights last?
Plan on 20 to 30 years with a sound installation. The roofing around a skylight wears out on a similar clock, which is why we evaluate existing skylights during every roof replacement. Replacing an aging unit while the roof is open costs far less than cutting into new roofing a few years later.
What is a sun tunnel and where does it make sense?
A sun tunnel runs a reflective tube from a small roof dome down through the attic to a ceiling diffuser, in 10 or 14 inch diameters and runs up to 20 feet. It brings daylight into hallways, closets, and bathrooms where a full skylight will not fit, and the install cuts through roof and ceiling without any framing changes. Rigid tubes deliver the most light, and flexible tubes route around obstructions in the attic.
Adding a skylight to your roofing project?
We'll look at your roof, talk through where the light should come from, and give you a detailed estimate that covers both.
Planning the whole roof? See GAF shingles or every product line we carry.